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University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

GIFT  OF 
FRANCIS  P.  FAROUHAF 


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• 


THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY, 


CALIFORNIA. 


THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

4060  feet  above  the  Sea. 


G 


Q 


THE  WONDERS 


YOSEMITE    YALLEY, 


CALIFORNIA. 


SAMUEL  KNEELAND,  A.M.,  M.D., 

PROFESSOR  OF  ZOOLOGY  IN  THE  MASSACHUSETTS  INSTITUTE  OF  TECHNOLOGY. 


WITH  ORIGINAL  PHOTOGRAPHIC  ILLUSTRATIONS, 

BY  JOHN  P.  SOULE. 


THIRD   EDITION,   REVISED   AND   ENLARGED. 


BOSTON : 
ALEXANDER    MOORE. 

LEE   &   SHEPARD. 

NEW  YORK:    LEE,    SHEPARD   &   DILLINGHAM. 
1*72. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871.  by  ALEXANDER  MOORE,  in  the  Ottice  01  tne 
.Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

I 'holographic  Illustrations,  entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by  JOHN  P.  SOULS,  in 
the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


CAMBRIDGE: 
PRESSWORK  BY  JOJJN  WILSON  AND  SON. 


A 


Hesitation. 


TO    ALL    LOVERS    OF   THE    GRAND    AND    BEAUTIFUL    IN    NATURE,    AND 
ESPECIALLY    OF 

MOUNTAIN     SCENERY, 

UNPARALLELED    IN    THE    WORLD,    THIS    VOLUME    IS 
RESPECTFULLY    DEDICATED. 


KV 


PREFACE. 

"XTORTH  AMERICA  is  certainly  a  favored  land  in  its  magnificent  scenery 
in  its  White  and  Green  Mountains,  Adirondacks,  Appalachians,  Rock} 
Mountains  and  Sierra  Nevada  ;  in  its  great  lakes  ;  in  its  mighty  rivers  —  the  Mis 
sissippi,  Missouri,  Colorado,  and  their  tributaries  ;  in  its  cataracts  —  Niagara, 
Genesee,  Trenton,  Ithaca,  Montmorenct,  Minnehaha,  and  the  grand  cascades 
of  the  Yosemite  Valley ;  in  its  boundless  prairies,  magnificent  forests,  and  variety 
of  the  aspects  of  nature  from  the  tropics  to  the  arctic  regions.  If  it  be  possible 
for  grandeur  of  natural  scenery  alone  to  elevate  the  mind,  the  Americans  should 
be  a  people  of  great  ideas. 

It  is  a  fact  of  which  comparatively  few  seem  to  be  aware,  that  California,  the 
land  of  gold,  is  also  the  laud  of  wonders  in  scenery  and  in  natural  productions. 
To  many  of  those  who  are  cognizant  of  this  fact,  the  distance  from  home,  and 
the  consequent  fatigue  and  inconvenience  of  travel,  appear  as  insurmountable 
obstacles.  The  first  and  the  only  difficulty  in  the  journey  to  the  Pacific  is,  to 
get  started ;  that  accomplished,  with  the  comfortable  cars,  good  food,  easy  bed, 
and  other  luxuries  of  the  Pullman  and  Wagner  palaces,  the  traveller  of  ordinary 
endurance  and  common-sense  has  only  to  take  his  ease  and  enjoy  himself;  if,  to 
the  above  simple  qualifications,  he  fortunately  add  a  natural  love  of  the  pic- 
uresque,  the  grand,  and  the  beautiful,  I  know  of  no  journey  on  the  face  of  the 
earth  in  which  so  much  enjoyment  can  be  crowded  into  a  month's  time. 

In  the  lover  of  mountain  scenery  —  even  in  one  familiar  with  the  Alps  —  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  especially  the  Sierra  Nevada,  will  excite  a  new  and  ex 
quisite  sensation.  Such  extent  of  grandeur  is  unparalleled  in  any  mountains 
explored  in  civilized  regions. 

It  does  not  require  strong  nerves,  firm  determination,  nor  great  physical  en 
durance,  to  make  the  trip  to  the  Yosemite  ;  and  this  magnificent  scenery  is 
easily  within  the  reach  of  the  invalid,  male  or  female,  who  is  not  so  hopelessly 
enfeebled  as  to  forbid,  under  any  circumstances,  removal  from  home. 

The  beauties  and  wonders  described  in  this  book,  however,  are  not  presented 
for  the  benefit  of  the  sick,  but  to  the  crowd  of  pleasure-seekers  who  make  their 
annual  visitations  to  Niagara,  Newport,  Saratoga,  Cape  May,  and  other  centres 
of  fashion,  frivolity,  foppery  and  folly.  With  half  the  expenditure  of  money 
and  vital  force  thus  thrown  away,  to  the  moral  and  physical  deterioration  of  all 

(xi) 


xii  PREFACE. 


concerned,  the  California  trip,  via  the  Pacific  Railroad,  may  be  thoroughly 
enjoyed.  There  is  nothing  in  it  to  enfeeble,  but  everything  to  strengthen  ;  the 
exhilarating  mountain  air,  by  day  or  by  night,  makes  the  lungs  tingle  with  a 
sensation  never  experienced  at  the  Eastern  watering-places  ;  the  cool  mountain- 
streams  will  prove  a  better  tonic  to  the  dyspeptic,  than  all  the  drugs  he  has 
swallowed.  The  brain  of  the  student  and  the  overworked  merchant  can  here 
lie  fallow  amid  scenes  which,  by  their  strange  fascination,  will  drive  from  the 
memory  all  thought  of  books  and  ledgers ;  even  the  love  of  dress,  and  the  pur 
suit  of  fashions,  leave  their  votaries,  as  they  take  their  seat  in  the  saddle  for  the 
Valley  or  the  Big  Trees. 

The  absence  of  storms  in  the  summer,  the  serenity  of  an  unclouded  sky,  aud 
a  deliciously  cool  air,  permit  one  to  climb  the  mountains  without  the  risk  of 
getting  wet,  of  being  delayed  by  au  avalanche,  of  falling  iuto  an  ice-bouud 
crevice,  or  of  being  enveloped  in  a  thick  mist,  at  a  point  noted  for  fine  scenery, 
so  provokingly  common  iu  Switzerland.  Without  danger,  hardship,  or  even 
discomfort,  and  with  a  certainty  of  fine  weather  week  after  week,  the  California 
mountains  invite  you  to  their  magnificent  scenery. 

Without  any  pretension  to  original  discovery,  or  to  the  loftiness  of  style  be- 
fitting  so  grand  a  subject,  this  volume  is  issued  in  the  hope  that  the  scenes 
recently  visited  by  the  writer  may  be  more  sought  for  by  Eastern  travellers ; 
and  that  the  order  followed  by  him,  and  sketched  imperfectly  here,  may  serve  in 
some  measure  as  a  useful  guide  to  the  grandeur  of  the  Yosemite  Valley,  and  to 
the  other  wonders  of  California. 


S.  K. 


North  Dome — VVash'n  Column — Royal  Arches. 


THE 

WONDERS  OF  THE  Y08EMITE  VALLEY, 

AND  OF 

CALIFORNIA. 


OMAHA  TO  SALT  LAKE. 

ON  the  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  most  of  the  great  river  sys 
tems  descend  very  gradually,  and  pour  their  waters  through  the 
Mississippi  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  viz.  :  the  Red,  Arkansas,  Rio 
Grande,  Platte,  and  Missouri;  while  the  Columbia  and  the  Colorado 
flow  into  the  Pacific  Ocean  ;  the  former  water  lands  of  great  luxuriance, 
and  thickly  populated ;  the  latter  flow  through  a  sterile  region, 
hardly  fit  for  the  abode  of  man,  yet  with  very  grand  scenery. 

The  profile  of  the  Pacific  Railroad,  from  Omaha  to  Sacramento, 
1,775  miles,  has  four  principal  summits.  1.  At  Sherman,  where  the 
Rocky  Mountains  (or  Black  Hills,  so  called)  are  crossed,  550  miles 
from  Omaha,  8,235  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  highest  point 
in  the  world  crossed  by  a  railroad.  2.  Aspen  Summit,  385  miles  from 
Sherman,  or  935  from  Omaha,  7,463  feet  high;  also  in  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  and  the  dividing  ridge  or  continental  rocky  back-bone.  3. 

o  o  v 

In  the  Humboldt  range,  nearPequop,  310  miles  from  Aspen,  or  1,245 
from  Omaha,  6,076  feet  high.  4.  In  the  Sierra  Nevada,  at  Donner 
Lake  Pass,  425  miles  from  the  Humboldt  Summit,  1,670  from  Omaha, 
or  105  from  Sacramento,  7,062  feet  high;  thence  there  is  a  descent 
of  7,000  feet  in  100  miles  to  Sacramento,  very  steep,  and  to  the  inex 
perienced  traveller  seemingly  dangerous.  The  road  from  Cheyenne, 
520  miles  from  Omaha,  for  500  miles  on  a  stretch,  to  the  Wahsatch 
Range  in  Utah,  is  more  than  6,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea; 
from  this  to  the  Sierra  crossing  the  average  height  is  5,000  feet,  and 
nowhere  less  than  4,000 ;  whence  it  would  be  naturally  supposed  that 
the  road  would  be  liable  to  become  blocked  by  snow ;  this,  however, 
is  not  the  case,  as  the  snow-sheds  are  a  protection  in  the  most  exposed 
regions  of  the  Sierra  Nevada. 

The  muddy  Missouri  River  is  crossed  from  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  to 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  and  here  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  begins,  968 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  in  the  great  valley  drained  by  this 
river  and  its  tributaries.  The  ascent  is  so  gentle  that  you  do  not  per 
ceive  it,  and  yet  when  you  have  reached  Cheyenne,  you  are  6,000 

(13) 


I  A  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

feet  .above  the  sea,  ascending  from  7  to  10  feet  per  mile.  For  290 
miles  the  road  is  along  the  main  stream  of  the  Platte  river ;  along  its 
banks  are  many  fine  farms  and  clumps  of  trees,  and  the  sides  of  the 
track  are  variegated  with  beautiful  flowers,  among  which  are  roses, 
larkspurs,  and  a  fine  white  thistle.  This  was  once  a  hunting-ground 
of  the  Indians  for  bison  and  antelope  ;  the  former  is  now  rarely  seen, 
but  now  and  then  an  antelope  will  scamper  away  from  the  track, 
turning,  when  at  a  safe  distance,  to  scrutinize  the  rushing  train  which 
disturbed  him.  This  was  also  a  portion  of  the  road  dangerous  from 
Indians,  as  here  they  were  accustomed  to  cross  the  plains,  naturally 
hating  the  whites  for  expelling  themselves  and  the  game  from  their 
favorite  haunts.  Every  station  was  once,  of  necessity,  a  fort;  the  fre 
quent  camps  of  mounted  riflemen,  and  their  presence  as  armed  sen 
tinels  at  the  stations,  showed  that  it  was  not  yet  considered  safe  to 
leave  the  road  at  the  mercy  of  the  hostile  tribes. 

The  Platte  River,  though  navigable,  as  the  saying  is,  for  nothing 
larger  than  a  shingle,  on  account  of  its  shallowness,  sand-bars,  and 
ever-shifting  channel,  drains  an  area  of  nearly  300,000  square  miles  ; 
larger  than  all  New  England,  New  York,  and  Pennsylvania.  It  is, 
however,  nature's  highway  for  a  railroad,  and  probably  but  for  it, 
this  Pacific  Railroad  might  nsver  have  been  built.  The  old  emigrant 
road  was  along  this  river,  and  it  can  now  be  traced  by  the  telegraph 
poles,  skulls  and  bones  of  cattle,  and  now  and  then  a  grave,  bearing 
testimony  to  the  toil,  privation,  and  death  of  the  gold-seekers. 

Columbus,  91  miles  from  Omaha,  is,  according  to  George  Francis 
Train,  the  geographical  centre  of  the  United  States,  and,  when  he 
becomes  President,  will  be  a  candidate  for  the  government  buildings. 
Grand  Island,  in  Platte  River,  is  about  80  miles  long,  and  4  wide ; 
it  is  fertile,  and  well-wooded,  and  belongs  to  the  United  States. 
From  150  to  3,50  miles  from  Omaha  you  are  within  the  range  of  the 
buffalo,  but  will  probably  see  none,  not  even  a  track ;  this  region  is 
also  infested  by  Indians,  as  shown  by  the  fort-like  and  guarded  sta 
tions  ;  the  cabins  are  low,  covered  with  mud  and  turf,  to  render  harm 
less  the  blazing  arrows  of  the  savages,  and  with  loop-holes  for  defence. 
Here  and  there  a  sullen-looking  fellow,  indifferently  armed,  scowls  at 
the  passing  or  stopping  train,  but  we  saw  no  bands. 

About  290  miles  from  Omaha  you  come  to  the  north  and  south 
forks  of  the  Platte  River,  and  the  railroad  takes  a  westerly  course 
between  them.  Soon  Alkali  is  reached,  in  the  alkali  belt  which  ex 
tends  for  seventy  or  eighty  miles  westward ;  the  soil  and  water  are 
strongly  impregnated  with  alkaline  salts,  the  carbonates  of  the  al 
kalies  being  so  abundant  that  the  earth  may  be  used  for  raising  bread. 
Here  farms  cease,  and  the  country  is  of  use  only  for  grazing.  Jules- 
burg,  377  miles,  was  noted  as  a  thieving,  gambling  place,  as  the  ter 
minus  of  the  advancing  road  always  was ;  shanties  and  tents  were 
built  in  a  night,  and  disappeared  as  if  by  magic,  leaving  nothing  be 
hind  but  a  bad  reputation,  ruined  chimneys,  old  boots,  tin  cans,  and 
soiled  cards.  These  harpy  communities,  when  too  bad,  were  occasion 
ally  exterminated  by  "Vigilance  Committees."  At  Lodgepole,  about 
400  miles,  the  elevation  is  nearly  4,000  feet,  and  from  this  you  per- 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


ceive  that  you  are  ascending.  About  thirty-five  miles  beyond  this  is 
Prairie  Dog  City,  so  named  because,  for  several  hundred  acres  on 
both  sides  of  the  track,  the  earth  is  raised  into  little  hillocks  by  these 
burrowing  squirrel-like  animals.  Each  occupant  of  a  burrow  sits 
erect  on  his  hillock,  scampering  into  his  hole  in  the  most  ludicrous 
manner  at  the  approach  of  danger;  they  are  obliged  to  endure  in 
their  villages  the  presence  of  the  burrowing  owl,  Avhich  lives  in  bur 
rows  deserted  by,  or  forcibly  taken  from,  the  rodent  by  the  lazy  owl; 
they  do  not  live  together  in  the  same  hole,  as  far  as  I  could  observe 
or  ascertain.  This  is  to  be  the  great  pasture-land  of  the  Continent, 
and  was  evidently  once  the  bottom  of  a  great  lake  or  inland  sea ;  the 
region  extends  for  700  miles  north  and  south,  on  the  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  and  for  200  miles  east  and  west,  besides  the  innu 
merable  valleys  in  the  mountain  ranges ;  there  is  an  abundant  supply 
of  water  in  the  valleys,  and  the  nutritious  grasses,  nine  to  twelve 
inches  high,  are  always  green  near  the  roots,  however  parched  and 
cured  at  the  top ;  cattle  require  no  housing,  and  need  only  be  pre 
vented  from  straying ;  in  winter  the  snow  is  so  dry  that  it  rolls  off 
their  backs,  and  does  not  chill  them  like  our  wet,  clinging  snows. 
Now  that  the  railroad  is  here  to  bring  the  products  to  the  Eastern 
markets,  it  is  safe  to  say,  that  in  a  few  years  the  untold  wealth  to  be 
derived  from  raising  cattle  and  sheep  will  bring  to  this  region  a  large 
and  vigorous  population  from  the  overcrowded  Atlantic  States. 

At  Cheyenne,  Wyoming  Territory,  516  miles,  you  are  nearly  6,000 
feet  high  ;  here  the  engines  are  doubled,  and  in  thirty-three  miles  you 
ascend  about  2,300  feet,  or  seventy  feet  in  a  mile.  This  place,  where 
in  1867  there  was  only  one  house,  has  now  several  thousand  inhabitants, 
and  has  the  elements  of  a  permanent  increase,  and  will  not  fade  away 
like  most  of  the  other  railroad  creations.  It  has  its  newspapers,  schools, 
churches,  manufactories,  and  extensive  system  of  inland  transpor 
tation,  especially  in  connection  with  the  rapidly-increasing  mining  in 
terests  of  Colorado  on  the  south.  About  fifteen  miles  from  Cheyenne 
the  grade  becomes  very  steep,  and  you  have  fine  views  of  the  "Black 
Hills,"  the  most  eastern  ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  scen 
ery  now  becomes  wild  and  rugged,  and  the  masses  of  reddish  fels- 
pathic  rock  are  piled  up  in  grand  confusion.  On  arriving  at  the 
summit,  at  Sherman,  named  from  the  tallest  general  in  our  army,  you 
are  8,235  feet  above  the  sea,  the  highest  point  crossed  by  any  rail 
road.  The  summit  is  bare,  and  the  surrounding  desolation  grand  and 
awful ;  the  rocks  and  the  road-bed  are  of  a  reddish  color,  which  gives 
an  unearthly  aspect  to  the  scenery.  The  air,  after  you  get  a  few  in 
spirations,  is  singularly  exhilarating.  This  is  550  miles  distant  from 
Omaha,  and  affords  a  good  view  of  Pike's  and  Long's  Peaks,  and 
other  localities  famous  in  the  history  of  gold-seeking.  The  many 
cuts  and  snow  fences  show  the  physical  and  elemental  difficulties 
which  were  encountered  here. 

Three  miles  from  Sherman  you  come  to  Dale  Creek,  which  is 
bridged  by  a  framework  structure  650  feet  long,  and  126  feet  above 
the  stream  ;  the  wooden  trestles  are  laced  strongly  together,  and  pre 
sent,  at  a  distance,  a  very  light  and  graceful  structure.  When  you 


!6  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

get  upon  it  you  shudder  as  you  look  down  and  see  the  stream  a  mere 
thread  below,  and  feel  the  bridge  quivering  under  the  weight  of  the 
train  to  such  a  degree  that  water  is  thrown  from  barrels,  placed  there 
for  putting  out  accidental  fires  ;  it  is  a  relief  to  get  upon  terra  Jirtna, 
when  every  one  draws  a  full  breath,  which  is  instinctively  impossible 
during  the  transit.  I  fear  that  a  terrible  accident  will  some  day 
occur  here,  as  a  fancied  security  from  past  immunity  is  apt  to  beget 
carelessness,  and  the  bridge  itself  does  not  seem  to  me  sufficiently 
strong  for  its  peculiarly  dangerous  locality. 

For  more  than  twenty  miles  from  Sherman  the  descent  is  so  great 
that  no  steam  is  required,  and  the  brakes  are  constantly  applied ; 
this  distance  brings  us  to  Laramie  Plain,  the  grade  of  which,  how 
ever,  is  constantly  changing.  You  pass  numerous  ridges  of  reddish 
sandstone,  worn  by  the  elements  into  the  most  fantastic  shapes,  as 
castles,  forts,  churches,  chimneys,  pyramids,  etc.,  looking  like  a  city 
changed  to  stone  by  the  enchanter's  wand ;  the  general  name  of 
"buttes"is  given  to  these,  with  a  prefix  according  to  the  color  or 
shape,  as  red,  black,  church  buttes,  etc. ;  some  of  these  singular  for 
mations  are  1,000  feet  high,  and  in  the  distance  are  very  interesting 
objects  to  the  observant  traveller. 

The  Laramie  Plain  has  a  fine  grazing  belt,  sixty  miles  long  by 
twenty  wide,  one  of  the  finest  stock-raising  regions  in  the  world,  the 
alkaline  quality  of  the  soil  and  water  making  the  growth  of  very  nu 
tritious  grasses  most  luxuriant ;  this  was  once  a  grazing  place  for  the 
buffalo,  now  rarely  seen.  When  there  is  too  much  alkali,  of  course 
the  soil  is  barren,  and  the  water  unfit  for  animals  and  man.  This 
plain  is  7,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  is  much  broken  by  the  ranges 
of  the  Black  Hills,  which  enclose,  often,  extensive  and  fine  table 
lands  or  "parks,"  sheltered  from  the  wind,  abundantly  watered,  with 
excellent  timber  and  grass,  and  much  mineral  wealth,  which  will  one 
day  be  a  source  of  great  prosperity.  The  distant  peaks  are  here  and 
there  crested  with  snow,  but  you  see  no  glaciers  and  eternal  snows,  as 
in  the  Alps,  coming  down  into  the  valleys ;  at  the  base  is  generally 
nothing  but  a  barren,  treeless  plain,  plentifully  stocked  with  the  pale 
aromatic  wild  sage,  and  the  home  of  the  wild  rabbit  and  antelope.  It 
affords  a  good  example  of  hundreds  of  miles  of  country  which  appar 
ently  can  never  be  brought  under  cultivation,  nor  become  fit  for  the 
residence  of  civilized  man. 

At  Carbon,  656  miles,  there  is  good  supply  of  tertiary  coal,  the 
shaft  being  close  to  the  track,  the  yield  being  200  tons  a  clay ;  the 
force  which  uplifted  this  table  land  broke  up  these  coal-bearing  strata, 
fortunately  placing  them  so  that  they  are  easily  workable,  and  exceed 
ingly  valuable  where  wood  is  so  scarce. 

At  Creston,  740  miles,  7,000  feet  high,  is  the  dividing  line  of  the 
continent,  where  streams  flow  easterly  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
westerly  to  the  Pacific.  Sage  brush  and  alkali  give  the  aspect  of 
desolation  to  this  central  point  of  the  grandest  of  our  mountain  ranges. 
Westward  for  thirty  miles,  the  country  is  a  barren  alkaline  desert, 
with  a  reddish  tint,  from  salts  of  iron. 

Green  River  Station,  846  miles,  is  so  named  from  the  river,  which 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA. 


flows  into  the  Colorado ;  the  water  has  a  greenish  hue,  from  the  mi 
nute  particles  of  the  decomposed  green  slaty  rocks  which  it  washes  ; 
it  is  a  large,  rapid  stream,  with  good  water,  plentifully  stocked  with 
trout.  This  region  was  evidently  once  the  bed  of  a  large  lake,  or 
very  wide  river,  and  aifords  a  great  many  moss  agates.  Here  you 
pass  into  Utah  Territory. 

Aspen,  940  miles,  7,463  feet  high,  the  second  highest  point  on  the 
Union  Pacific  Railroad,  is  so  named  from  the  tree  of  that  name,  which 
grows  on  the  sides  of  the  mountains,  spurs  of  the  Uintah  Range.  It 
will  be  noticed  that  there  is  an  interval  of  about  100  miles  between 
the  stations  here  mentioned,  which  will  indicate  to  the  reader  Avhat  a 
dreary  and  uninteresting  region  this  is  as  a  whole,  with  here  and 
there  a  place  worthy  of  mention. 

From  Aspen  the  track  descends  through  the  cut  made  by  the  Weber 
River  through  the  Wahsatch  Range,  into  Salt  Lake  Valley.  At  Wah- 
satch,  968  miles,  after  a  good  breakfast  (and  it  may  be  here  stated, 
once  for  all,  that  the  meals  all  along  the  route  are  excellent,  at  mod 
erate  price,  and  with  plenty  of  time  to  eat),  you  plunge  into  the 
famous  Echo  Canon,  flanked  by  the  most  magnificent  scenery.  Here 
comes  in  a  merry  conductor,  full  of  proverbs  and  wise  sayings,  ready 
to  do  battle  in  words,  (and  for  aught  I  know  with  fists,)  for  all  sound 
morality ;  he  has  a  fair  voice,  and  as  he  enters  the  car,  preliminary  to 
taking  the  tickets,  treats  the  passengers  to  a  snatch  of  some  song, 
sacred  or  profane,  which  puts  every  body  into  good-humor,  contrast 
ing  favorably  with  the  boorishness  so  frequently  met  with  in  conduct 
ors  who  ride  behind  horse-flesh  in  our  large  cities.  He  invites  you 
to  go  to  the  rear  or  observation  car,  open  above  and  on  the  sides, 
affording  an  unobstructed  view  on  all  sides.  The  cars  soon  pass  into 
a  tunnel,  770  feet  long,  approached  by  a  long  and  rather  shaky  trestle- 
work;  here  the  jolly  conductor  (not  a  Mormon,  as  you  at  first  sup 
pose)  cautious  young  people,  and  especially  any  who  may  be  on  their 
bridal  tours,  to  be  sure  that  they  select  the  right  person  before  they 
proceed  to  any  little  caresses  suggested  by  the  long,  dark  tunnel ;  ac 
cording  to  his  account,  many  ludicrous  and  provoking  mistakes  have 
sometimes  been  revealed  when  the  sudden  darting  of  the  train  into 
the  daylight  has  shown  the  various  attitudes  of  the  passengers  ;  from 
failure  to  recognize  the  points  of  the  compass  in  the  light,  moustaches 
have  been  found  under  the  wrong  bonnets,  and  arms  around  the  wrong 
waists. 

No  words  can  describe  the  wild  and  grand  scenery  of  the  Echo 
Canon,  at  this  pass  narrowed  to  a  mere  chasm,  between  cliffs  of  red 
dish  sandstone  from  500  to  2,000  feet  high,  almost  overhanging  the 
road,  and  carved  by  the  elements  into  the  most  fantastic"  forms,  whose 
names  and  resemblances  are  pointed  out  by  the  communicative  con 
ductor.  Excellent  photographs  for  stereoscopic  use  have  rendered 
these  scenes  familiar  to  many,  and,  though  giving  but  little  idea  of  the 
real  grandeur,  serve  well  to  fix  in  the  memory  of  those  who  have  seen 
thorn  the  momentary  glimpses  so  rapidly  taken  from  the  rushing  car. 
The  whistle  of  the  locomotive  starts  a  thousand  echoes  from  the  rocky 
sides,  chiefly  on  the  right,  the  left  sloping  away  to  grassy  meadows. 


iS  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

Here  are  seen  the  "  Mormon  Fortifications,"  1,000  feet  high,  with  the 
massive  rocks  still  in  place  destined  to  have  been  rolled  upon  the 
United  States  troops  sent  in  1857  to  attack  this  people  ;  they  were, 
however,  never  used.  Echo  Creek  winds  among  the  rocks,  and  is 
crossed  thirty  times  in  twenty-five  miles.  Occasionally  is  seen  a 
small  Mormon  settlement,  of  long  one-storied  houses,  surrounded  by 
richly-cultivated  fields ;  but  the  houses  and  fences  are  in  bad  repair, 
with  slouchy,  bearded  men  hanging  about,  and  the  women  sad-eyed, 
homely,  and  poorly  dressed — the  tyranny  of  their  creed  impressing 
itself  even  on  their  external  appearance. 

Soon  after  leaving  Echo  City,  you  come  to  the  "thousand  mile  tree," 
a  vigorous  evergreen,  spared  to  mark  the  thousandth  mile  from 
Omaha — 2,650  miles  from  good  old  Boston.  Then  comes  Weber 
Canon,  cut  by  the  river  of  that  name,  more  beautiful,  if  possible,  than 
Echo  Canon,  though  only  three  miles  long  (Echo  being  eight)  ;  it  is 
rendered  more  pleasing  by  the  river  which  rushes  by  the  side  of  the 
track,  now  a  torrent,  then  a  cascade,  then  a  whirlpool,  and  then  boil 
ing  rapids,  according  to  the  obstructions  of  its  rocky  bed  and  sides. 
In  this,  as  in  Echo  Canon,  every  second  brings  into  view  some  ne\y 
wonder  or  beauty.  We  can  mention  only  two,  both  named  from  his 
Satanic  Majesty,  who  seems  to  claim  most  that  is  sublime  and  awful, 
in  the  scenery  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  first  is  the  "Devil's 
Slide,"  two  vertical  ridges  of  granite,  on  the  left  of  the  track,  extend 
ing  several  hundred  feet  in  height ;  the  earth  between  the  ridges, 
which  are  several  yards  apart,  is  covered  with  grass  and  flowers,  ren 
dering  by  contrast  the  gray  rocky  barriers  very  distinct.  Passing 
this  and  Weber  Station  you  come  to  the  second,  the  "Devil's  Gate,"  a 
narrow  gorge  through  which  the  Weber  River  rushes,  crossed  by  a 
bridge  about  fifty  feet  above  the  raging  stream.  You  have  no  op 
portunity  for  fright  or  pleasure,  as  you  are  whirled  along  by  the  iron 
horse,  which  has  no  eye  for  scenery,  and  regards  only  time  and  space. 

After  passing  through  these  fine  canons  in  the  Wahsatch  Range,  you 
are  in  the  Great  Salt  Lake  Valley,  though  still,  at  Uintah  Station, 
4,550  feet  above  the  sea.  Eight  miles  more  and  you  are  in  Ogclen, 
the  terminus  of  the  Union  Pacific,  1 ,032  miles  from  Omaha.  This  is 
a  strictly  Mormon  town ;  the  houses  are  widely  scattered,  but  with 
fine  gardens  and  orchards.  Near  the  depot  is  the  usual  assortment 
of  shanties,  tents,  and  saloons.  On  the  platform  you  will  probably 
see  Indians  of  the  Shoshone  tribe,  in  costumes  partly  civilized  and 
partly  savage;  as  a  military  hat  with  feather,  pants,  and  coat,  with 
dirty  blanket,  moccasins,  and  daubed  with  paint  —  with  the  unmis 
takable  odor  of  the  red  man,  indicating,  to  more  senses  than  the  eye, 
that  frequent  ablution  is  not  one  of  his  virtues. 


HALF,  OR  SOUTH  DOME. 
(i%  Mile  high.) 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA. 


SALT  LAKE  AND  THE  CENTRAL  PACIFIC  RAILROAD. 

AT  Ogdeu  the  traveller   takes  the  Utah  Central  Railroad,  going 
south,  and  after  a  two  hours'  ride,  of  thirty-five  miles,  arrives 
in  Salt  Lake  City,  the  temporal  and  spiritual  head-quarters  of  Pres 
ident  Brigham  Young. 

Surrounded  as  is  Salt  Lake  Valley  by  lofty  mountains,  and  cut  off 
from  civilization  by  a  thousand  miles  of  barren  and  almost  impassable 
deserts,  it  is  certainly  a  very  remarkable  instance  of  human  industry, 
perseverance,  and  devotion  to  what  they  regarded  as  a  divine  precept, 
that  the  Mormons  should  have  established  such  a  prosperous  commu 
nity  in  this  unpromising  region.  Salt  Lake  City  was  founded  in  1847  ; 
it  is  situated  in  latitude  40  deg.  46  min.  north,  and  longitude  112  deg. 
6  min.  west,  at  the  base  of  the  western  slope  of  the  Wahsatch  Moun 
tains,  which  you  pass  by  the  Echo  and  Weber  Canons. 

The  history  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  this  strange  sect  cannot  be 
entered  into  here.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  it  was  organized  in  1830  by 
Joseph  Smith,  in  Ohio,  under  circumstances  savoring  strongly  of 
delusion  and  fanaticism,  if  not  of  deception ;  it  afterward  removed  to 
Jackson  County,  Missouri,  and  then  to  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  on  the  Mis 
sissippi.  Persecuted  for  obvious  reasons  in  1844-45,  the  Mormons 
emigrated  in  1846,  under  President  Brigham  Young,  the  successor  of 
Joseph  Smith,  who,  with  his  brother  Hyruin,  was  murdered  by  a  mob 
in  1844.  Persecution  followed  fftem  through  Missouri  and  Iowa,  and 
they  reached  Great  Salt  Lake,  after  much  hardship,  in  the  latter  part 
of  July,  1847,  passing  up  the  left  bank  of  the  Platte  River,  crossing  at 
Fort  Laramie,  and  over  the  mountains  at  the  South  Pass.  In  1850 
Utah  was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  Territory,  though  it  applied 
for  admission  as  a  State  under  the  name  of  "Deseret." 

The  city  is  four  miles  long  and  three  wide,  the  streets  at  right 
angles  to  each  other,  132  feet  wide,  with  sidewalks  of  twenty  feet. 
Each  house  is  twenty  feet  from  the  line  of  the  street,  and  is  adorned 
usually  by  shrubbery  and  trees  ;  water  is  brought  from  the  mountains, 
and  its  fresh  current  runs  freely  through  the  gutters  of  the  streets, 
with  a  sound  and  sight  very  refreshing  on  a  hot  day,  as  you  walk  along 
under  the  grateful  shade,  over  the  sidewalks.  Most  of  the  houses  are 
of  adobe,  or  sun-dried  brick  and  wood,  and  a  few  of  stone.  The 
stores  are  well  supplied  with  goods  from  the  East,  and  with  excellent 
articles  of  home  manufacture,  which  the  saints  are,  in  a  measure, 
forced  to  buy  —  the  trade  of  the  Gentiles  being  with  each  other  and 
with  strangers,  and  not  much  with  the  Mormons.  The  Mormon 
stores,  generally  co-operative,  are  known  by  the  sign,  "Holiness  to 
the  Lord."  Church  and  State  are  closely  united,  the  heads  of  the 
church  being  also  the  high  civil  officers.  One-tenth  of  all  a  convert 
has,  he  pays,  it  is  said,  into  the  "Treasury  of  the  Lord,"  and  one- 
tenth  of  his  yearly  profits,  and  devotes  one-tenth  of  his  time  for  pub- 


20  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 

lie  works  —  resembling  the  system  of  tithing  of  the  ancient  Israelites. 
There  is,  besides,  a  tax  on  property  for  the  revenue  of  the  civil  gov 
ernment.  Outward  prosperity,  peace,  and  contentment,  seem  to 
reign  ;  poverty  is  unknown  ;  crime  is  rare,  and  severely  punished,  and 
the  ordinary  vices  of  our  large  cities  are  not  seen,  and  most  likely  do 
not  extensively  exist  —  the  one  great  evil,  as  we  deem  it,  polygamy, 
swallows  up  all  lesser  vices  by  taking  away  one  great  incentive. 

The  Mormons  regard  their  prosperity  as  a  sign  of  the  favor  of 
heaven  ;  but  outsiders  more  truly  ascribe  it  to  their  industry,  discip 
line,  and  concentration  of  energies  on  one  purpose.  Whatever  may 
be  thought  of  their  religious  views  and  consequent  practices,  they  are 
undoubtedly  sincere.  The  President  is  a  man  of  remarkably  clear 
mind  and  sound  sense,  and  with  great  executive  ability,  equal  to  his 
responsible  position  ;  sincere  and  active  in  everything  which  he  con 
siders  good  for  the  moral,  intellectual,  and  material  elevation  of  his 
people,  whose  confidence  he  fully  enjoys.  He  is  of  commanding 
appearance,  affable  to  strangers,  and  impresses  you  with  the  idea  of 
strength,  firmness,  and  resolution,  which  indeed  are  required  to  keep 
this  anomalous  community  from  falling  to  pieces  by  the  slow  but  con 
tinual  sapping  of  its  foundation-tenets  by  the  encroachments  of  East 
ern  principles. 

The  "spiritual-wife"  system,  which  now  seems  tottering  to  its  fall, 
was  not  an  original  tenet  of  the  Mormon  creed,  forming  no  part  of 
the  teachings  of  its  founders ;  and  probably  would  long  since  have 
met  the  fate  deserved  by  such  an  abomination,  had  it  not  been 
in  great  measure  kept  out  of  public  sight  by  the  remoteness  and  iso 
lation  of  this  people.  Even  now,  w'nen  public  indignation  is  aroused 
for  its  extinction,  the  problem  is  a  difficult  one  to  solve  in  a  way 
which  shall  punish  or  restrain  the  guilty  ones  in  high  places,  without 
causing  unmerited  suffering  to  the  deluded  wives  and  innocent  children. 

I  have  before  me  the  "  Third  Annual  Catalogue  "  of  the  "  Univer 
sity  of  Deseret,"  in  Salt  Lake  City,  for  the  years  1870-71.  It  con 
tains  the  names  of  580  pupils  :  286  males,  and  294  females,  with 
those  of  13  instructors.  The  courses  of  instruction  in  the  classics, 
in  the  sciences,  and  in  the  normal  studies,  will  compare  favorably 
with  those  of  our  Eastern  colleges,  and  seem  admirably  adapted  to 
prepare  the  way  for  a  better  state  of  things,  evidently  now  approach 
ing  rapidly,  and  to  develop  the  great  natural  resources  of  this  coun 
try.  With  a  fertile  soil,  healthy  climate,  and  inexhaustible  mineral 
wealth,  this  land  of  beauty  and  grandeur  must  soon  be  the  pasture 
and  the  mine,  as  it  is  the  highway  of  the  nation.  Time  only  can 
solve  the  questions  of  statesmanship,  civil  polity,  religion,  and 
moralitj',  presented  by  this  singular  community,  whose  centre  is 
at  Salt  Lake  City.  When  the  iron  will  which  rules  this  people 
ceases  to  exert  its  influence,  the  Mormon  system  will  doubtless 
crumble  away  before  the  advancing  tide  of  Eastern  civiliza 
tion,  now  so  rapidly  surrounding  and  permeating  it  by  means 
of  the  Pacific  Railroad ;  yet,  whether  its  life  be  long  or  short, 
this  sect  has  made  a  pathway  and  a  stopping-place  for  the  west 
ward  inarch  of  the  nation,  and  thus,  involuntarily,  have  greatly 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA.  21 

advanced  the  progress  of  humanity.  The  city  is  beautifully  situated, 
and,  as  seen  from  the  surrounding  hills,  its  so-called  "Valley  of  the 
Jordan  "  is  a  perfect  garden  in  the  wilderness.  With  and  without 
irrigation  the  crops  are  fine,  and  the  fruit  is  excellent ;  the  grasshop 
pers  are  a  great  plague,  and  sometimes  so  utterly  destroy  a  growing 
crop  as  to  require  planting  even  a  third  time.  Camp  Douglass  over 
looks  the  city,  and,  in  case  of  need,  could  soon  shell  out  au  enemy. 
The  valley  was  evidently  once  the  bottom  of  an  inland  sea,  as  proved 
by  the  terraces,  which  can  be  traced  for  miles  along  the  sides  of  the 
mountains,  indicating  former  levels  of  the  water ;  it  contains  over 
1,100  square  miles,  with  much  fine  grazing,  as  well  as  cultivated,  land. 
Mormon  industry  has  shown  that  reclaimed  and  irrigated  sage  plains 
make  very  fertile  soils ;  the  disintegrated  felspathic  and  limestone 
make  a  rich,  porous,  and  absorbent  earth,  if  well  watered.  The  Mor 
mons  now  manufacture  almost  everything  they  use,  even  to  articles 
of  silk;  the  precious  metals,  coal,  iron,  and  building  stones  are  abun 
dant,  and  the  water-power  for  machinery  is  ample. 

The  Tabernacle  will  hold  about  10,000  persons;  it  is  the  first  ob 
ject  seen  when  approaching  the  city — its  bell-shaped  top  looking  like 
a  balloon  rising  above  the  trees ;  the  building  is  oval,  250  by  150 
feet,  the  roof  supported  by  forty-six  columns  of  sandstone,  from 
which  it  springs  in  one  unbroken  arch,  said'  to  be  the  largest  self- 
sustaining  roof  on  the  continent ;  the  height  on  the  inside  is  65  feet. 
It  contains  an  organ,  second  in  size  only  to  the  Boston  organ,  made 
by  a  Mormon  in  Salt  Lake  City.  The  seats  are  plain,  those  of  the 
men  and  women  separate.  The  foundations  of  the  great  temple  are 
laid  in-  granite,  and  are  now  even  with  the  ground,  above  which  it  is 
doubtful  if  they  rise ;  the  building  was  to  cover  about  half  an  acre, 
and  to  be  one  of  the  grandest  church  edifices  in  the  country ;  the 
main  structure  100  feet  high,  with  three  towers  on  each  eud,  the 
central  one  200  feet  high.  The  fine  granite  of  which  it  was  to  be 
built  resembles  the  Quincy  sienite,  but  is  much  whiter;  it  is  found  in 
abundance  in  the  neighboring  mountains.  The  theatre,  city  hall,  and 
council  house,  are  fine  structures,  and  many  of  the  stores  compare 
favorably,  both  inside  and  out,  with  our  own. 

Though  Capt.  Stansbury,  in  1 850,  mentions  seeing  myriads  of  wild 
geese,  ducks,  and  swans  on  the  surface  of  the  lake,  I  saw  nothing 
but  a  few  ducks  and  snipes  around  the  edges,  scarcely  disturbed  by 
the  noise  of  the  train.  The  shore  is  naked  and  bleak,  and  there  are 
none  of  the  invigorating  breezes  of  the  ocean  coming  from  its  vast 
and  motionless  expanse.  Except  the  valleys  at  the  southern  end  of 
the  lake,  the  country  seems  very  barren,  without  fresh  water,  and  so 
little  elevated  above  the  lake  that  a  rise  of  a  few  feet  in  its  waters 
would  flood  an  immense  extent  of  country — the  only  use  of  which 
would  seem  to  be,  in  the  language  of  Capt.  Stansbury,  that,  from 
its  extent  and  level  surface,  it  is  good  for  measuring  a  degree  of  the 
meridian.  The  lake  is  said  to  be  rising  annually,  and  the  Salt  Lake 
problem  may  ere  long  be  solved  by  geological  agencies,  the  people 
being  actually  drowned  out. 

The  existence  of  a  salt  lake  in  this  region  has  been  known  for 


23  THE    WONDERS   OF   THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

nearly  two  centuries.  The  water  is  so  salt,  that  twelve  hours'  immer 
sion  will  so  far  com  beef  that  it  can  be  kept  without  further  care, 
even  when  constantly  exposed  to  the  sun ;  in  a  few  days  it  may  bo 
made  perfect  "  salt  junk";  if  the  meat  were  only  there,  a  "Salt 
Lake  Meat  Preserving  Company"  might  profitably  be  established 
near  these  waters.  There  is  no  life  in  the  lake,  and  but  little  in  the 
surrounding  brackish  waters,  so  that  pelicans  and  gulls  which  breed 
on  the  islands  must  go  at  least  twenty  miles  for  food  for  themselves 
and  young.  The  water,  from  its  density,  is  veiy  buoyant,  as  in  the 
Dead  Sea;  it  is  easy  t"  float  in  it,  but  hard  to  swim,  from  the  ten 
dency  of  the  legs  to  come  up  and  the  head  to  go  down ;  the  brine 
irritates  the  eyes,  and  almost  chokes  you  if  accidentally  swallowed ; 
the  most  expert  swimmer  would  soon  perish  in  its  heavy  waves.  It 
contains  more  than  twenty  per  cent,  of  pure  salt,  with  very  little  im 
purities;  if  the  people  are  not  tho  "salt  of  the  earth,"  the  water  is, 
and  probably  ere  many  years  this  region  will  be  the  seat  and  the 
source  of  a  profitable  and  extensive  industry  from  its  natural  salt 
works. 

After  leaving  Ogden,  and  pursuing  your  way  westward  on  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad,  you  pass  through  a  well-cultivated  Mormon 
country,  getting  fine  views  of  the  lake,  near  which  the  track  passes 
for  miles.  In  nine  miles  you  arrive  at  Corinne,  a  lively  gentile 
town,  the  centre  of  valuable  mining  interests  in  the  neighboring  ter 
ritory  of  Montana  on  the  north.  After  crossing  Blue  Creek  on  a  tres 
tle  bridge  300  feet  long,  over  many  sharp  curves  and  through  deep 
cuts,  you  come  close  to  the  graded  bed  of  the  old  Central  road,  which 
ended  at  Ogden  and  is  now  unused.  Here  you  begin  to  rise  till  you 
get  to  Promontory  Point,  one  of  the  most  difficult  passes  on  the 
road,  and  near  where  the  trains  from  the  east  and  the  west  met  May 
10,  1869,  when  the  last  tie  was  laid  which  bound  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific.  This  was  certainly  one  of  the  most  remarkable  events  in  tho 
history  of  travel ;  we  all  remember  how  the  country  rejoiced,  some 
cities  quietly  and  economically,  like  Boston,  others  noisily,  and  with 
generous  and  hospitable  exultation,  like  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
when  the  message  flashed  over  the  wires  on  that  day  that  the  last 
spike  was  driven ;  the  President  of  the  road  stood  there  in  tho  wil 
derness  holding  in  his  hand  the  silver  hammer  to  whose  handle  was 
attached  the  telegraph  wire,  and  when  he  struck  the  golden  spike 
at  noon,  the  joyful  news  went  on  lightning  wings  to  every  city  of  the 
land ;  the  locomotives  screamed  and  rubbed  their  sooty  noses  to 
gether,  and  the  crowd  huzzaed,  shook  hands,  drank  toasts,  and  ex 
hibited  the  hilarious  and  almost  frantic  transports  peculiar  to  such 
occasions  outside  of  staid  New  England.  This  point  is  fifty-three 
miles  from  Ogdeu,  1,084  from  Omaha,  and  2,730  from  Boston. 

At  100  miles  you  are  about  in  the  middle  of  tho  "  Great  American 
Desert,"  where  the  eye  searches  in  vain  for  signs  of  animal  or  vege 
table  life ;  alkaline  beds,  sandy  wastes,  and  rocky  hills,  constitute  the 
landscape  ;  this  desert  was  once  evidently  the  bed  of  a  great  salt  lake, 
and  such  as  would  be  presented  were  the  present  Utah  and  Great  Salt 
Lakes  to  be  drained,  and  raised  to  the  same  level. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  23 


In  150  miles  you  leave  Utah,  and  enter  Nevada  Territory,  and  at 
Toano,  183  miles,  you  enter  the  Humboldt  division  of  the  road, 
ascending  the  desert  by  the  Cedar  Pass  to  Hnmboldt  Valley,  at 
Pequop,  being  on  the  third  high  point,  6,210  feet  above  the  sea. 
From  this  there  is  a  gradual  descent,  along  which  you  obtain  fine  dis 
tant  views  of  the  beautiful  valleys  in  the  range,  well  supplied  with 
lakes,  and  famous  for  their  fine  crops.  The  celebrated  Humboldt 
Wells  are  218  miles  from  Ogden ;  here  the  emigrant  trains  used  to 
stop  after  the  hard  journey  across  the  desert ;  there  are  about  twenty 
wells,  in  a  charming  valley,  in  which  the  water  rises  to  the  surface, 
slightly  brackish ;  they  nre  exceedingly  deep,  and  are  evidently  craters 
of  extinct  volcanoes,  whose  existence  is  proved  by  the  broken  masses 
of  lava  and  granite  all  around.  This  valley,  which  seems  like  Eden 
after  crossing  the  dry  and  dreary  desert,  is  named  from  the  Humboldt 
Hiver,  which,  rising  in  the  neighboring  mountains,  runs  through  it ; 
the  track  follows  the  river  for  many  miles.  At  Elko,  275  miles, 
stages  may  be  taken  for  the  famous  White  Pine  District ;  Treasure 
City,  125  miles  to  the  south,  is  the  centre  of  extensive  gold  and  silver 
mining.  At  Humboldt  Canon,  or  the  Palisades,  about  300  miles,  the 
scenery  is  fine,  much  like  that  of  the  Echo  and  Weber  Canons  on  the 
Union  Pacific  Road,  but  more  dismal  from  the  greater  bleakness  and 
bareness  ;  it  is  gloomy  and  grand,  from  the  furious  river  which  rushes 
along  in  the  deep  gorges.  A  peculiarity  of  the  rivers  here  is  that 
they  spread  into  shallow  lakes,  and  in  summer  disappear  in  what  are 
called  "  sinks  " ;  probably  most  of  their  water  escapes  by  the  great 
evaporation,  though  there  may  be  in  some  cases  a  sinking  into  a  sub 
terranean  channel,  or  into  the  absorbent  sand. 

As  the  Truckee  region  is  approached,  fine  growths  of  timber  begin  to 
appear,  clothing  the  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  range,  which  you  now 
begin  to  ascend ;  the  river  is  extremely  pretty  in  its  rocky  bed,  though 
much  of  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  is  lost,  unless  the  moon  be  shining, 
by  passage  in  the  night  and  early  morning.  At  Reno,  590  miles,  you 
may  take  the  stages  for  Virginia  City  and  Gold  Hill,  Nevada,  where 
are' the  famous  Ophir  and  Comstock  silver  mines.  Soon  after  passing 
Verdi,  following  along  the  numerous  curves  of  the  river,  and  crossing 
several  picturesque  bridges,  at  610  miles,  you  enter  California.  You 
are  now  ascending  all  the  time,  amid  grand  scenery,  with  mountains 
on  each  side,  timber-clothed  ravines,  and  here  and  there  a  strip  of 
meadow.  At  Truckee,  623  miles  from  Ogden,  and  120  from  Sacra 
mento,  you  are  5,900  feet  above  the  sea ;  this  is  the  centre  of  a  grout 
trade  in  lumber,  as  the  best  of  material  is  abundant  and  accessible, 
and  the  water-power  ample.  Here  you  may  start  for  Lake  Tahoe,  a 
beautifully  clear  sheet  of  water,  very  deep  (in  some  places  1,700 
feet),  twenty-two  miles  by  ten ;  it  is  part/ in  Nevada,  and  part  in  Cal 
ifornia  ;  this  is  the  lake  which  Mark  Twain  so  extols  above  the  Italian 
lakes  in  the  "Innocents  Abroad,"  to  which  admirable  burlesque  the 
reader  is  referred  for  fuller  description.  Donner  Lake,  smaller,  but  as 
beautiful,  and  seen  from  the  track,  has  a  melancholy  interest,  from  the 
domestic  tragedy  connected  with  it ;  here,  in  the  early  times  of  immi 
gration,  a  party  from  Illinois  were  hemmed  in  by  the  snow ;  most 


24  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO  SEMITE    VALLEY, 

escaped,  leaving  a  Mr.  Donner,  his  wife,  and  a  German  ;  when  a  party 
reached  the  place  the  following  spring,  Mr.  Donner  had  died,  and  the 
German  is  said  to  have  been  found  eating  a  part  of  Mrs.  Douner's 
body,  whom  it  is  believed  he  murdered.  Both  these  lakes  are  prob 
ably  in  craters  of  old  volcanoes,  closed  by  some  geological  convulsion 
Avhich  has  occurred  in  the  Sierra. 

The  summit  of  the  range  is  fourteen  miles  distant,  and  the  doub 
ling  of  the  locomotives  shows  that  work  is  to  be  done ;  up  you  go 
constantly,  getting  glimpes  of  the  lake  and  the  mountains,  till  you 
get  to  the  ^provoking  snow-sheds,  which  for  forty  miles  protect  the 
road  from  avalanches  of  snow,  but  not  of  hard  words  from  travel 
lers,  who  are  by  them  deprived  of  the  magnificent  views.     You  cross 
the  range  at  Summit,  7,242  ft.  high,  1,700  miles  from  Omaha,  and 
105  from  Sacramento.     The  peaks  of  the  Sierra  are  far  above  the  level 
of  the  Donner  Pass,  and  are  here  and  there  covered  with  snow.     The 
Summit  Tunnel,  the  longest  of  several,  is  1,700  feet,  nearly  one-third 
of  a  mile ;  the  forty  miles  of  snow-sheds,  of  solid  timber,  are  said  to 
have  cost  $10,000  a  mile.     You  are  now  descending  all  the  time, 
sometimes  quite  abrnptty.     Just  after  leaving  Alta,  sixty-two  miles 
from  Sacramento,  you  enter  the  "Great  American  Canon,"  one  of  the 
grandest  in  the  Sierra,  where  the  rocks,  2,000  feet  high,  give  a  nar 
row  passage  to  a  branch  of  Feather  River ;  the  scenery  is  very  fine, 
and  there  are  no  sheds  to  intercept  the  view.     Here  you  come  to  a 
succession  of  strange  names,  suggestive  of  the  lively  times  of  twenty 
years  ago, — such  as  Dutch  Flat,  Little  York,  You  Bet,  Red  Dog, 
Gold  Run,  Cape  Horn.     This  is  the  region  of  hydraulic  mining,  and 
you  see  ditches  and  flumes,  with  rapid  streams  from  the  mountains 
running  for  miles  to  various  claims,  and  then  directed  through  dis 
charge  pipes  with  great  force  against  the  gold-containing  bank,  wash 
ing  away  immense  amounts  of  dirt  into  the  long  channels,  where  the 
gold  gradually  settles  from  its  greater  weight.     Chinese  miners  and 
their  cabins  frequently  meet  the  eye.     Going  rapidly  down,  almost  on 
the  edge  of  a  precipice  2,500  feet  deep,  you  come  to  and  double  Cape 
Horn,  the  road  cut  into  the  very  side  of  the  mountain  by  the  Chinese  ; 
it  makes  one  shudder  to  think  of  the  consequences  of  the  train  getting 
off  the  track  as  it  rushes  with  frequent  screams  down  the  steep  and 
narrow  line,  around  the  sharp  curves,  and  over  the  apparently  delicate 
bridges ;  if  quicker,  it  is  perhaps  more  dangerous  than  doubling  the 
point  of  South  America.     Let  us  hope  that  familiarity  will  not  breed 
contempt  of  danger,  for  inevitable  destruction  would  be  the  result  of 
an  accident  here. 

The  fine  fruit,  bottles  of  wine,  grapes,  and  grain  fields  show  that 
we  are  in  one  of  the  great  valleys  of  California.  We  soon  rush  into 
Sacramento,  only  fifty-six  feet  above  the  sea,  having  descended  over 
seven  thousand  feet  in  one  hundred  miles.  Sacramento  is  the  heart 
of  California,  depending  on  its  never-failing  agricultural  and  mineral 
resources  ;  while  San  Francisco  is  rather  a  great  commercial  market, 
constantly  fluctuating,  and  as  much  injured  by  the  Pacific  Railroad  as 
Sacramento,  the  capital,  has  been  increased  by  it.  It  has  suffered 
greatly  from  floods,  from  the  filling  up  of  the  river  by  the  results  of 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA. 


mining  operations ;  but  it  is  now  raised  fifteen  feet  above  the  highest 
level  of  the  river,  and  is  now  considered  safe  from  floods.  Thence  to 
San  Francisco,  ma  Stockton,  over  the  Western  Pacific  Railroad,  is 
138  miles ;  thus,  the  distance  from  Boston  to  San  Francisco,  nearly 
3,600  miles,  may  be  passed  over,  if  necessary,  in  seven  days. 

The  Pacific  Road  was  in  running  order  seven  years  before  the  limit 
of  the  construction  time,  the  track  having  been  laid,  and  well  laid,  at 
a  rate  before  unparalleled.  In  twenty-two  hours,  on  the  Union  Pacific 
Road,  seven  and  a  third  miles  were  laid  ;  and  on  the  last  day  but  one, 
May  8,  18G9,  the  Chinese  laid,  on  the  Central  Pacific  road,  ten  miles  of 
track  in  twelve  hours.  When  we  remember  that  the  great  road  from 
Vienna  to  Trieste,  over  the  Soemmering  Pass,  less  than  three  hundred 
miles,  and  with  an  elevation  of  only  4,400  feet,  required  fifteen  years 
for  its  construction  by  the  Austrian  Government,  with  all  the  advan 
tages  of  a  populous  country,  and  then  consider  that  our  road,  more 
than  six  times  as  long,  rising  nearly  twice  as  high,  and  built  through 
a  waterless,  woodless  desert,  infested  by  hostile  Indians,  by  private 
enterprise  was  completed  in  seven  years,  it  is  truly  marvellous,  and  a 
convincing  proof  of  the  wonderful  energy  and  foresight  of  the  Amer 
ican  people.  The  completion  of  this  road  not  only  unites  the  Atlantic 
and  Pacific,  changing  the  course  of  commerce  from  the  East  Indies, 
but  opens  vast  resources  of  our  country's  agricultural  and  mineral 
wealth,  and  brings  within  the  reach  of  travellers  and  invalids  the 
magnificent  scenery  and  bracing  air  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  and 
Sierra  Nevada  —  leading  to  the  great  natural  wonders  of  the  parks  of 
Colorado,  the  Salt  Lake  Valley,  the  Yosemite  Valley,  with  its  water 
falls  and  stupendous  heights,  the  giant  trees,  the  splendid  Pacific 
shores,  the  beauty  of  the  coast  ranges,  and  the  marvels  of  the  Colum 
bia  River  and  the  Cascade  Mountains. 


36  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 


YOSEMITE— HISTORICAL    SKETCH. 

BEFORE  describing  the  Yosemite  Valley,  it  may  be  of  interest  to 
the  reader  to  know  something  more  of  the  history  of  the  discov 
ery  of  this  wonderful  locality,  within  a  few  years  known  only  to  the 
Indian  tribes.  The  following  historical  sketch  is  condensed  from  the 
"Geological  Survey  of  California,"  published  by  authority  of  the 
Legislature. 

In  the  year  1864,  Congress,  influenced  by  intelligent  citizens  of 
California,  passed  the  following  Act : 

"  Be  it  enacted  by  the  /Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled,  That  there  shall 
be,  and  is  hereby,  granted  to  the  State  of  California,  the  '  Cleft '  or 
'  Gorge'  in  the  Granite  Peak  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountain,  situated 
in  the  County  of  Mariposa,  in  the  State  aforesaid,  and  the  head 
waters  of  the  Merced  River,  and  known  as  the  Yosemite  Valley,  with 
its  branches  and  spurs,  in  estimated  length  fifteen  miles,  and  in  aver 
age  width  one  mile  back  from  the  main  edge  of  the  precipice,  on 
each  side  of  the  Valley,  with  the  stipulation,  nevertheless,  that  the 
said  State  shall  accept  this  grant  upon  the  express  conditions  that  the 
premises  shall  be  held  for  public  use,  resort,  and  recreation ;  shall  be 
inalienable  for  all  time ;  but  leases  not  exceeding  ten  years  may  be 
granted  for  portions  of  said  premises.  All  incomes  derived  from 
leases  of  privileges  to  be  expended  in  the  preservation  and  improve 
ment  of  the  property,  or  the  roads  leading  thereto ;  the  boundaries 
to  be  established  at  the  cost  of  said  State  by  the  United  States  Sur 
veyor-General  of  California,  whose  official  plat,  when  affirmed  by  the 
Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office,  shall  constitute  the  evi 
dence  of  the  locus,  extent,  and  limits  of  the  said  Cleft  or  Gorge ; 
the  premises  to  be  managed  by  the  Governor  of  the  State,  with  eight 
other  Commissioners,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Executive  of  California, 
and  who  shall  receive  no  compensation  for  their  services. 

"SECT.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  there  shall  likewise  be, 
and  there  is  hereby  granted  to  the  said  State  of  California,  the  tracts 
embracing  what  is  known  as  the  '  Mariposa  Big  Tree  Grove,'  not  to 
exceed  the  area  of  four  sections,  and  to  be  taken  in  legal  subdivisions 
of  one-quarter  section  each,  with  the  like  stipulations  as  expressed  in 
the  first  section  of  this  Act  as  to  the  State's  acceptance,  with  like 
conditions  as  in  the  first  section  of  this  Act  as  to  inalienability,  yet 
with  the  same  lease  privileges ;  the  income  to  be  expended  in  the 
preservation,  improvement,  and  protection  of  the  property,  the 
premises  to  be  managed  by  legal  subdivisions  as  aforesaid  ;  and  the 
official  plat  of  the  United  States  Surveyor-General,  when  affirmed  by 
the  Commissioner  of  the  General  Land  Office,  to  be  the  evidence  of 
the  locus  of  the  said  Mariposa  Big  Tree  Grove." 


EL  CAPITAN. 

(3100  ft.  above  Valley,;  from  Merced  River. 


T3- 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  27 

This  Act  was  approved  by  the  President,  June  30,  1864  ;  and  soon 
after,  Governor  Low,  of  California,  issued  a  proclamation,  taking 
possession  of  the  tracts  thus  granted  in  behalf  of  the  State,  appoint 
ing  commissioners  to  manage  them,  and  warning  all  persons  against 
trespassing  or  settling  there  without  authority,  and  forbidding  the 
cutting  of  timber,  and  other  injurious  acts.  The  necessary  surveys 
were  made,  and  the  limits  of  the  Valley  and  the  Mariposa  Grove 
were  established  in  the  same  year. 

The  grant  by  Congress  had  no  validity  until  the  State,  by  its  Legis 
lature,  had  solemnly  promised  to  accept  the  trust,  forever  binding 
when  once  accepted. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  California  Legislature,  an  Act  was  passed 
accepting  the  Valley  and  the  Grove,  on  the  conditions  imposed  by  Con 
gress,  and  containing  provisions  for  the  punishment  of  persons  com 
mitting  depredations  on  the  premises,  and  appointing  a  guardian  of 
the  grant.  Since  the  passage  of  this  act,  the  vandalism  of  those  who 
would  have  destroyed  the  grove,  who  would  have  cut  down  a  giant 
tree  to  build  their  houses,  has  been  in  a  great  measure  arrested;  vis 
itors,  however,  may  remember  a  huge  pine  prostrate  near  the  upper 
hotel  in  the  Valley,  cut  down  in  the  winter  of  1869-70  by  persons 
whom  Mr.  Galen  Clark,  the  guardian,  had  succeeded  in  placing  in 
the  hands  of  justice. 

The  whites  living  on  the  streams  near  the  Valley,  as  early  as  1850, 
had  been  greatly  harassed  by  the  scattered  Indians  in  this  region,  and 
finally  formed  a  military  company  to  expel  them  from  the  country. 
As  the  Indians  were  pursued  it  became  evident  that  they  had  a  safe  re 
treat  high  up  in  the  mountains,  and  it  was  determined  to  trace  them  to 
their  refuge  ;  this  was  found  to  be  the  Yosemite  Valley,  which  thus 
came  to  be  known  to  the  whites.  In  the  spring  of  1851  an  expedition, 
under  the  command  of  Captain  Boling,  started  to  explore  this  Valley 
and  to  drive  the  Indians  out  of  it ;  guided  by  an  old  chief,  Tenaya, 
whose  name  is  given  to  one  of  the  canons  of  the  Merced  River,  they 
reached  the  valley,  and  drove  the  Indians  from  their  supposed  impreg 
nable  retreat,  killing  a  few,  and  making  a  peace  Avith  the  rest  — this,  it 
will  be  seen,  was  fourteen  years  before  the  Act  of  Cougres,  above  re 
ferred  to.  The  Indians  again  becoming  troublesome  to  the  miners, 
another  expedition  was  fitted  out  for  the  Valley  in  1852,  by  the  Mariposa 
Battalion  ;  some  of  the  Indians  were  killed,  and  the  rest  fled  to  the 
Mono  tribe,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sierra ;  having  stolen  some 
horses  from  their  friends,  the  Monos  pursued  them  back  to  the  Valley, 
where  a  bloody  battle  was  fought,  resulting  in  the  almost  entire  ex 
termination  of  the  Yosemite  tribe. 

According  to  Dr.  Bunucll,  the  Indians  in  and  around  the  Valley 
were  a  mixed  race,  made  up  by  refugees  from  many  widely-scattered 
tribes  ;  each  family  is  said  to  have  had  a  tract  set  apart  for  its  use, 
which  had  its  own  name  ;  all  we  know  of  their  language  is  preserved 
in  the  sonorous  and  often  musical  names  given  to  the  waterfalls  and 
rocks,  as  elsewhere  stated,  which,  however,  have  in  most  cases  been 
replaced  by  Spanish  and  English  names. 

The  visit  of  the  soldiers  did  very  little  toward  opening  the  Valley 


2S  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLET, 

to  public  notice ;  their  wonderful  stories  found  their  way  into  the 
newspapers,  but  were  passed  over  as  the  exaggerations  so  often  pub 
lished  by  travellers  in  distant  regions,  where  there  is  no  liability  of  con 
tradiction  by  eye-witnesses.  Mr.  J.  M.  Hutchings,  who  has  been  long 
identified  with  the  history  of  the  Valley,  and  who  now  keeps  a  hotel 
there,  seems  to  have  been  the  first,  in  1855,  to  collect  a  party  of 
tourists  to  visit  the  Yosemite  for  pleasure ;  in  the  same  year,  an 
other,  and  a  larger,  party  from  Mariposa  went  into  the  Valley.  In 
1856,  the  regular  pleasure  travel  may  be  said  to  have  commenced  — 
if  it  can  be  called  pleasure  to  toil  up  and  down  steep  ridges,  danger 
ous  on  horseback,  at  that  time,  and  very  fatiguing  on  foot.  The 
trail  from  Clark  and  Moore's  hotel  is  even  now  abominable,  and  un 
necessarily  so  ;  fallen  trees  might  be  removed,  rolling  stones  picked 
out,  fords  levelled,  mud  holes  made  safe,  and  projecting  rocks 
knocked  off,  at  very  little  cost  of  time  or  money.  It  seems  unbe 
coming  in  the  State  to  allow  such  neglect  of  the  trails,  now  that  the 
visitors  number  thousands,  and  many  of  them  ladies,  in  the  course 
of  the  summer.  Mercy  for  the  horse,  as  well  as  for  the  rider,  de 
mands  more  care  to  be  devoted  to  these  trails,  which  seem  now  as  if 
purposely  made  to  wrench,  torture,  and  fatigue  the  poor  traveller, 
and  compel  him  to  stop  at  the  houses  of  entertainment  along  their 
course.  Were  the  trails  properly  attended  to,  it  would  be  easy 
enough  to  go  from  Clark's  into  the  Valley  in  a  day ;  now  it  is  very 
hard  to  do  this,  and  by  the  time  they  have  gone  twelve  miles,  most 
travellers  are  weary  enough  to  rest  at  the  "Half-way  House,"  and  to 
make  the  other  twelve  miles  on  the  next  day;  like  a  Chicago  train, 
which  generally  contrives  to  get  you  in  an  hour  too  late  to  make 
your  Eastern  or  Western  connection,  thus  compelling  an  unnecessary 
expenditure  there,  this  trail  seems  to  be  neglected  intentionally  fora 
similar  end. 

The  first  house  built  in  the  Valley,  in  the  autumn  of  1856,  oppo 
site  the  Yosemite  Fall,  is  still  standing,  and  is  occupied  as  a  hotel. 
In  I860,  Mr.  J.  C.  Lamon  took  up  his  residence  in  the  Valley,  where 
he  now  lives,  a  lonely  bachelor,  in  a  comfortable  log  house.  He  has 
truly  made  the  wilderness  to  "blossom  like  the  rose,"  and  has  suc 
ceeded  in  raising  excellent  vegetables,  and  some  exceedingly  fine 
berries,  and  other  fruit;  his  garden  is  one  of  the  "sights "in  the 
Valley,  and  the  visitor  is  always  sure  of  a  welcome  reception ;  if  the 
proprietor  be  not  at  home  to  sell  you  his  fruit,  you  are  allowed  to 
pick  and  eat,  but  not  to  carry  away,  in  his  garden,  depositing  on  his 
window  a  quarter  or  half-dollar  in  silver.  He  thinks  that  he  has  a 
claim  to  the  tract  cultivated  by  himself,  and  considers  himself  a  bona 
fide  settler;  of  course  he  has  no  legal  claim,  as  the  land  was  not 
open  to  pre-emption,  never  having  been  surveyed  and  put  into  the 
market.  Many  summer  residents  have  since  put  in  their  claims, 
which  are  invalid  under  the  United  States  laws,  for  the  above  reason, 
and  also  because  they  were  not  accompanied  by  permanent  residence. 
None  of  the  claimants,  it  is  hoped,  will  be  allowed  to  have  their  pre 
tensions  recognized  by  Congress,  or  in  any  way  sanctioned  by  public 
opinion.  The  gift  of  Congress  is  too  preeious  to  the  State  and  to  the 


CLOUDS'  REST. 
From  Lake  at  foot  of  South  Dome. 


TJ 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  29 

country  to  be  hampered  by  the  restrictions  which  would  inevitably  be 
imposed  by  the  greed  of  individual  owners  or  lessees,  who  would 
surely  manage  it  for  private  benefit,  and  not  for  public  good.  In  the 
language  of  the  "  Survey,"  "As  the  tide  of  travel  in  the  direction  of 
this  wonderful  and  unique  locality  increases,  so  will  the  vexations, 
restraints,  and  annoying  charges,  which  are  so  universal  at  all  places 
of  great  resort,  be  multiplied.  The  screws  will  be  put  on  just  as  fast 
as  the  public  can  be  educated  into  bearing  the  pressure.  Instead  of 
having  every  convenience  for  circulation  in  and  about  the  Valley  — 
free  trails,  roads,  and  bridges,  with  every  facility  offered  for  the  en 
joyment  of  Nature  in  the  greatest  of  her  works,  unrestrained  except 
by  the  requirements  of  decency  and  order  —  the  public  will  find,  if 
the  ownership  of  the  Valley  passes  into  private  hands,  that  oppor 
tunity  will  be  taken  to  levy  toll  at  every  point  of  view,  on  every  trail, 
on  every  bridge,  and  at  every  turning,  while  there  will  be  no  induce 
ment  to  do  anything  for  the  public  accommodation,  except  that  which 
may  be  made  immediately  available  as  a  new  means  of  raising  a  tax 
on  the  unfortunate  traveller.  .  .  .  The  Yosemite  Valley  is  an  ex 
ceptional  creation,  and,  as  such,  has  been  exceptionally  provided  for 
jointly  by  the  Nation  and  the  State ;  it  has  been  made  a  National 
public  park,  and  placed  under  the  charge  of  the  State  of  California. 
Let  Californians  beware  how  they  make  the  name  of  their  State  a 
by-word  and  reproach  for  all  time,  by  trying  to  throw  off  and  repudi 
ate  a  noble  task  which  they  undertook  to  perform  —  that  of  holding 
the  Yosemite  Valley  as  a  place  of  public  use,  resort,  and  recreation, 
inalienable  for  all  time  !  " 

A  few  years  since,  some  scientific  men,  familiar  with  California, 
and  especially  with  this  Valley,  undertook  to  obtain  the  signatures  of 
their  fellows  throughout  the  land,  and  of  those  connected  with  learned 
societies,  remonstrating  against  the  enormity  of  permitting  the  claims 
of  private  individuals  to  stand  in  the  way  of  the  reservation  of  this 
Valley  as  a  public  park  forever.  They  were  successful  in  obtaining 
the  approval  of  the  great  majority  of  American  savants,  scholars, 
and  eminent  men ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  Congress  will  never 
recognize  such  claims.  It  would  be  better  far  to  pay  ten  times  their 
estimate  of  alleged  improvements,  and  to  secure  the  right  of  the 
nation  to  the  full  control  of  every  portion  of  the  Valley  and  its  sur 
roundings  mentioned  in  the  Act  of  Congress  of  1864. 


THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 


YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

THIS  unique  and  wonderful  locality,  visited  by  the  writer  in  July, 
1870,  was  once  the  stronghold  of  the  Yosemite  tribe  of  Indians, 
who  were  expelled  from  it  in  1851,  and  exterminated  in  1852,  by  the 
whites,  exasperated  by  their  murderous  attacks,  and  by  the  rival  tribe 
of  Mouos.  Before  this  time  it  was  unknown  to  the  whites.  A  few 
of  these  Monos  now  live  in  the  valley,  belonging  to  the  so-called  dig 
gers,  a  miserable,  drunken,  and  fast-disappearing  race,  living  chiefly 
upon  fish  from  the  Merced  River,  acorns,  and  the  seeds  of  a  species 
of  pine,  called  the  nut-pine. 

The  word  Yosemite,  meaning  a  large  grizzly  bear,  was  probably  the 
name  of  a  chief,  who  gave  his  name  to  the  tribe,  and  the  valley  is  now 
called  by  the  Indians  Ahwahnee,  and  not  Yosemite ;  and  even  the  lat 
ter  is  sometimes  pronounced  Yohemite  by  the  Mexicans.  It  was  first 
visited  for  curiosity  or  pleasure  in  1855,  since  which  time  the  number 
of  visitors  has  annually  increased,  so  that  three  hotels  are  now  hardly 
able  to  accommodate  them.  It  is  a  toilsome,  fatiguing,  and,  in  many 
respects,  a  very  disagreeable  journey,  but  when  carriage-roads  are 
extended,  railroads  built,  and  the  trails  made  decent  for  horse  and 
man,  it  may  be  undertaken  by  the  most  delicate  and  timid  with  safety 
and  delight.  It  belongs  to  the  State  of  California,  granted  by  Con 
gress,  and  accepted  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State,  in  1864.  There 
are  some  who  lay  claim  to  a  considerable  part  of  the  best  portion  of 
the  valley;  arid  should  they  succeed  in  establishing  their  claims, 
the  fleecing  system  of  Niagara  would  be  likely  to  prevail,  and 
a  price  have  to  be  paid  for  every  trail,  bridge,  and  advantageous 
point  of  observation.  It  should  be  under  the  sole  control  and  man 
agement  of  the  State ;  and  the  sooner  the  State  takes  the  roads  and 
trails  in  hand,  the  better  for  its  own  credit  and  the  comfort  of 
travellers. 

On  account  of  the  chilly  winds  rushing  in  from  the  northwest 
through  the  "  Golden  Gate  "  to  supply  the  place  of  the  heated  cur 
rent,  which  ascends  along  the  coast  range,  the  summer  (July  and  Au 
gust)  is  the  coldest,  dampest,  foggiest,  and  most  disagreeable  part  of  the 
year  in  San  Francisco  ;  so  that,  going  eastward,  you  rise  several  thou 
sand  feet  in  an  air  actually  warmer  than  on  the  coast,  and  on  the  high 
est  part  of  the  Yosemite  range,  7,400  feet,  it  is  even  warm  in  midday 
in  summer.  At  Clark's  Hotel,  outside  the  valley,  and  at  the  hotels  in 
the  valley  (each  about  4,000  feet  high),  the  thermometer  indicated 
80  deg.  for  six  hours  every  day,  though  the  nights  were  cool,  but 
indescribably  clear  and  exhilarating.  At  this  season  the  traveller  is 
sure  of  good  weather,  as  rain  is  extremely  rare,  and  clouds  uncom 
mon.  One  is  impressed  with  the  subtropical  character  of  the  vegeta 
tion  on  the  Pacific  in  latitudes  where,  on  the  Atlantic,  the  flora  of  the 
temperate  zone  prevails  ;  in  Stockton,  figs  grow  luxuriantly  in  the  open 
air,  and  in  one  of  the  squares  was  a  magnificent  American  aloe,  at 


BRIDAL  VEIL  FALL. 
940  feet  high. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


least  forty  feet  high,  whose  beautiful  yellow  flowers  were  the  pride  of 
the  city  ;  this  in  latitude  38  deg.  In  San  Francisco,  in  about  the  same 
latitude,  the  climate  is  cooler  ;  Stockton  is  on  the  east  side  of  the 
coast  range,  in  the  San  Joaquiu  Valley,  but  of  about  the  same  eleva 
tion,  as  well  as  latitude,  as  Sau  Francisco. 

Among  the  health  inducements  for  travel  here  are  the  invigorating 
air,  the  pure  cold  water,  and  the  exercise,  which,  though  often  severe, 
cannot  fail  to  strengthen  an  ordinary  traveller,  refreshed  as  he  is,  at 
night,  by  excellent  food  and  comfortable  bed  ;  when  to  these  is  added 
the  grand  and  beautiful  scenery  in  this  immense  panorama  of  moun 
tains,  surely  no  further  inducement  is  necessary  for  one  to  journey  to 
this  valley,  brought  within  a  week's  easy  travel  of  the  farthest  Atlantic 
seaport.  In  the  words  of  Prof.  Whitney,  "Nothing  so  refines  the 
ideas,  purifies  the  heart,  and  exalts  the  imagination  of  the  dweller  on 
the  plains,  as  an  occasional  visit  to  the  mountains.  It  is  not  good  to 
dwell  always  among  them,  for  '  familiarity  breeds  contempt.'  The 
greatest  peoples  have  not  been  those  who  lived  on  the  mountains,  but 
near  them.  One  must  carry  something  of  culture  to  them,  to  receive 
all  the  benefits  they  can  bestow  in  return.  As  a  means  of  mental 
development,  there  is  nothing  which  will  compare  with  the  study  of 
Nature  as  manifested  in  her  mountain  handiwork."  Beside  the  gran 
deur  of  the  mountains,  and  the  stateliness  of  the  trees,  the  most 
beautiful  feature  is  the  system  of  waterfalls,  fed  by  the  snow,  which 
is  seen  glistening  on  the  higher  summits  in  midsummer  ;  as  the  snow 
gradually  lessens  with  the  advancing  summer,'  the  volume  of  water 
diminishes,  and,  by  July,  some  of  the  most  beautiful,  like  the  "Vir 
gin's  Tears,"  and  the  falls  of  the  "Royal  Arches,"  and  the  "Sentinel 
Peak,"  are  entirely  dried  up,  and  even  the  great  Yosernite,  the  Bridal 
Veil,  the  Vernal,  and  the  Nevada  Falls,  are  comparatively  small  by 
the  month  of  August.  The  fact  is  simply  alluded  to  here,  as,  in 
another  place,  more  space  will  be  devoted  to  this  topic. 

The  mountains,  which  look  so  massive  and  uniform  in  outline  in 
the  distance,  when  approached,  are  found  to  be  deeply  cleft  by  valleys 
and  narrow  canons. 

This  whole  mountain  system,  called  by  Prof.  Whitney  the"  Cordil 
leras,"  is  between  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  105  deg.  west  longitude, 
including  the  Rocky  Mountains  proper  on  the  east,  and,  as  we  proceed 
westerly,  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  broken  region  between,  and  the 
most  westerly  coast  rau<rc. 

~r»        •         • 

Beginning  on  the  Pacific,  the  coast  ranges  are  geologically  newer, 
according  to  the  California  geologists,  than  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and 
have  been  subjected  to  great  disturbances  up  to  a  comparatively  recent 
geological  period  ;  there  are  in  them  no  rocks  older  than  the  creta 
ceous,  this  and  the  tertiary  making  up  nearly  their  whole  body,  with 
some  masses  of  volcanic  and  granitic  material,  neither  forming  any 
thing  like  a  nucleus,  or  core.  They  have  no  lofty  peaks  in  Central 
California,  Mt.  Hamilton,  near  San  Jose,  being  only  4,400  feet,  and 
Monte  Diablo,  so  conspicuous  from  San  Francisco,  only  3,860.  The 
scenery  is  picturesque,  but  not  grand,  and  especially  remarkable  for 
the  beautiful  valleys,  or  parks,  between  the  ridges,  with  magnificent 


3  2  THE    WONDERS    OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLET, 

forests  of  oaks  and  pines,  the  ridges  being  bare.  North  and  south  of 
the  central  region,  the  elevation  is  greater,  even  to  eight  thousand  feet, 
but  yet  not  within  six  thousand  feet  of  Mt.  Shasta,  of  the  Sierra  Range. 
The  phenomena  of  erosion  are  well  marked,  it  is  said,  and  the  atmos 
phere  has  the  indescribable  exhilarating  property  which  so  delights  the 
traveller  and  strengthens  the  invalid. 

The  Sierra  Nevada,  or  the  snowy  range,  forms  the  western  edge  of 
the  great  continental  upheaval,  or  plateau,  on  which  the  "Cordilleras" 
(as  just  explained)  are  built  up  ;  the  Rocky  Mountains  form  the  east 
ern  edge  of  the  same  plateau,  the  width  between  the  two,  traversed 
by  the  Pacific  Railroad,  being  about  one  thousand  miles.  In  this 
range  the  peaks  are  the  highest,  and  the  subordinate  ranges  the  most 
regular.  The  base  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  is  four  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea  level,  with  such  a  gentle  ascent  from  the  Missouri  River 
that  you  hardly  perceive  it  as  you  speed  along  for  six  hundred  miles  ; 
but  on  the  west  side  of  the  Sierra  you  descend  very  rapidly,  and,  in 
many  places,  apparently  dangerously,  seven  thousand  feet  in  less  than 
a  hundred  miles  to  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  Sierra  Nevada  strictly 
belongs  to  California,  being  called  the  Cascade  Range  to  the  north  in 
Oregon  and  Washington  Territories,  and  to  the  south  losing  itself, 
more  or  less,  in  the  coast  ranges  ;  from  the  Tejou  Pass  to  Mt.  Shasta 
is  550  miles,  the  last  one  hundred  being  the  Cascade  Range  —  the 
average  width  of  the  chain  is  eighty  miles,  taking  in  the  lakes  on  the 
east  and  the  foot-hills  on  the  west.  The  western  slope,  in  the  centre 
of  the  State,  rises  one  hundred  feet  in  a  mile,  or  seven  thousand  feet 
in  a  horizontal  distance  of  seventy  miles ;  in  the  southern  passes  the 
slope  is  much  steeper  than  this.  Donner  Lake  Pass,  where  the  Cen 
tral  Pacific  Railroad  crosses  the  range,  is  about  seven  thousand  feet 
above  the  sea ;  the  crest  of  the  range  is  five  hundred  to  a  thousand 
feet  higher  than  the  passes,  or  eight  thousand  feet  high.  The  central 
mass  is  chiefly  granitic,  flanked  by  rnetamorphic  slates,  and  capped, 
especially  to  the  north,  by  volcanic  materials  ;  the  activity  of  the  sub 
terranean  forces  is  now  indicated  by  occasional  severe  earthquakes, 
more  severe  and  more  dreaded  than  we  in  the  east  dream  of,  by  hot 
springs  and  geysers,  and  by  the  existence  of  many  well-formed,  but 
extinct,  craters. 

The  scenery  of  the  "  High  Sierra,"  as  you  stand  upon  the  "  Sentinel 
Dome,"  or  "Glacier  Point,"  is  very  different  from  that  of  the  higher 
Alps.  You  see  much  less  snow  and  ice,  and  no  glaciers  extending 
into  the  valleys.  But  the  rocks,  even  to  the  edge  of  the  Yoseraite,  are 
grooved  and  polished,  showing  the  former  existence  of  an  immense 
sheet  of  ice.  You  see  no  grassy  slopes  between  the  forest  and  the 
snow,  but  the  woods  extend  much  higher  up,  and  abruptly  terminate 
with  the  bare  rock  in  summer,  and  the  snow  line  in  winter ;  the  trees 
are  large,  but  sombre  and  monotonous,  growing  even  at  a  height  of 
7,000  feet.  Though  there  are  many  beautiful  valleys  along  the 
streams,  and  magnificent  waterfalls,  the  character  of  the  scenery  is 
rather  grand,  sublime,  and  awful,  than  beautiful  or  diversified;  the 
heights  are  bewildering,  the  distances  overpowering,  the  stillness 
oppressive,  and  the  utter  barrenness  and  desolation  indescribable. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


33 


One  of  the  most  striking  features  of  the  scenery  on  the  edge  of  the 
valley,  is  the  concentric  structure  of  the  granite  in  the  so-called 
"Domes,"  and  "Royal  Arches,"  of  which  more  hereafter.  Suffice  it 
to  say  here,  that  the  rounded,  dome-shaped  masses  contrast  remark 
ably  with  the  sharp  peaks  above  and  beyond  them ;  they  rise  from 
three  to  five  thousand  feet  above  the  valley,  presenting  toward  it  a 
sheer  precipice  of  nearly  this  height  —  domes  of  the  most  graceful 
curves,  and  on  a  stupendous  scale.  This  concentric  structure,  ac 
cording  to  Whitney,  is  nqt  the  result  of  the  original  stratification  of 
the  rock,  and  there  are  no  evidences  of  anticlinal  or  synclinal  axes 
or  marks  of  irregular  folding;  the  curves,  arranged  strictly  with 
reference  to  the  surface  of  the  masses  of  rock,  show,  according  to 
him,  that  they  were  produced  by  the  contraction  of  the  material  while 
cooling  or  solidifying,  giving  one  the  impression  that  he  sees  the 
original  shape  of  the  surface.  The  concentric  granite  plates  overlap 
each  other,  absolutely  preventing  ascent  from  the  valley ;  as  these 
immense  plates  have  fallen,  some  from  a  height  of  over  3,000  feet, 
detached  by  the  frost,  and  other  agencies,  they  have  left  the  enor 
mous  cavities  which  have  received  the  name  of  the  "  Royal  Arches," 
and  royal  indeed  they  are. 

All  observers  agree  that  the  snow  disappears  from  the  highest  sum 
mits  rather  by  evaporation  than  by  melting,  and  that  the  air  there  is 
remarkably  dry ;  and  by  this  is  explained  the  general  absence  of  gla 
ciers  on  Mt.  Shasta  and  similar  elevations,  where  in  the  Alps  glaciers 
would  exist ;  immense  masses  of  snow,  miles  long  and  hundreds  of 
feet  thick,  remain  all  summer,  thawing  and  freezing  on  the  surface, 
gradually  wasting  away  without  becoming  glacier  ice,  and  yielding 
comparatively  small  streams  of  water.  Still,  at  a  comparatively  re 
cent  geological  period,  immense  glaciers  existed  in  these  mountains, 
and  the  usual  traces  of  scratched  and  polished  surfaces  are  common 
enough,  and  moraines  of  great  extent  are  found — these  evidences  of 
former  glacial  action,  however,  seem  to  be  limited  to  the  higher  parts 
of  the  range,  and  not  to  descend  below  G,000  feet  above  the  sea,  ex 
cept  in  a  few  exceptional  cases,  where  the  configuration  of  the  upper 
valleys  was  favorable  to  the  accumulation  of  large  masses  of  snow  — 
this  indicates  at  that  period  a  considerably  moister  climate  than  now 
exists  there.  Glaciers  extended  from  Mt.  Dana  (13,000  feet  above 
the  sea)  to  a  level  of  the  upper  border  of  the  great  Yoscmite,  or  7,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  the  bottom  of  the  valley  being  3,000  feet  lower. 
The  weight  of  an  ice  sheet  a  mile  in  thickness,  may  have  had  some 
thing  to  do  with  the  sudden  subsidence  which  many  geologists  think 
was  in  part  the  cause  of  the  formation  of  this  valley.  Marks  of  gla 
cial  action  are  manifest  on  the  "Sentinel  Dome,"  and  on  "Glacier 
Point,"  both  groovings  and  polishings ;  this  polishing  extends  far 
down  the  smooth  surface  on  the  south  side  of  the  valley,  near  the 
Illilouette  Cauon,  a  steep,  gigantic  slide  for  a  thousand  feet,  of  per 
fectly  smooth  rock,  which  makes  one  dizzy  to  look  at  from  above  or 
below,  ending,  as  it  docs,  in  a  vertical  wall  toward  the  valley.  There 
nre  no  signs,  that  I  know  of,  of  glacial  action  in  the  valley.  The 
Little  Yosemite  Valley,  2,000  feet  higher  than  the  big  Yosemite,  but 


34  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

greatly  resembling  it,  communicates  with  the  latter  by  the  Nevada 
Fall,  the  main  stream  of  the  Merced  River  running  through  both. 
No  doubt  a  glacier  passed  down  the  Illilouette  Canon  from  the  Mt. 
Starr  King  group  to  the  edge  of  the  valley  ;  the  land  at  the  head  of 
the  Merced  River  was  not  high  enough  for  the  formation  of  a  glacier 
into  the  Yosemite  Valley,  and  there  is  no  evidence  that  it  came  be 
yond  the  edge,  as  above  stated,  though  it  doubtless  filled  the  higher- 
Little  Yosemite. 

The  famous  valley  is  about  155  miles  from  San  Francisco,  a  little 
south  of  east,  or  250  by  the  usual  line  of  travel.  It  is  best  to  stop, 
when  coming  from  the  east,  at  Stockton,  distant  ninety  miles  from 
San  Francisco  by  rail.  I  went  by  the  Mariposa  route,  the  longest, 
with  the  most  horseback-riding,  but  leading  near  the  Mariposa  grove 
of  big  trees,  and  affording,  on  the  whole,  the  grandest  views.  We 
took  a  private  conveyance,  three  of  us  and  a  driver,  at  Stockton, 
the  usual  charge  for  which  is  $16.00  a  day,  including  the  food 
and  all  expenses  of  driver  and  two  horses ;  the  stages  are  crowded 
and  uncomfortable,  (though,  from  experience,  I  think  not  more  so 
than  the  private  carriage,)  but  are  considerably  cheaper  and  quicker, 
as  they  travel  day  and  night.  By  this  route  you  have  about  twenty- 
five  miles  to  go  on  horseback,  mostly  up  and  down  steep  and  rough 
trails,  to  reach  the  valley  —  this  we  did  in  one  day ;  but  it  is  better  to 
take  two,  as  both  horses  and  riders  get  greatly  fatigued. 

You  cannot  enter  the  valley  without  rising  about  3,500  feet  above  the 
point  you  wish  to  reach,  viz.  :  the  bottom  of  the  valley — this  is  4,000 
feet  above  the  sea,  and  so  is  the  ranch  of  Mr.  Clark,  from  which  you 
start;  from  this  you  ascend  to  7,400  feet,  and  then  descend  about 
3,500  into  the  valley.  This  severe,  but  necessary,  toil,  is  what,  with 
the  dust  and  heat,  makes  the  journey  so  fatiguing.  You  can  do  it  all 
on  horseback,  as  Mark  Twain's  pilgrims  did  in  the  Holy  Land ;  but 
pity  for  the  horse,  and  comfort,  it'  not  safety  for  the  rider,  impels 
you  often  to  dismount,  exchanging  the  fatigue  of  climbing  for  the 
weariness  and  soreness  of  the  saddle  (it  is,  for  the  first  few  days,  a 
sort  of  drawn  battle  between  the  abductor  muscles  of  the  thighs  in 
riding,  and  the  muscles  of  the  calves  in  ascending  or  descending 
on  foot).  The  canon  of  the  Merced  River,  whose  shallow  and  placid 
stream  runs  through  the  valley,  has  such  steep  sides,  that  a  trail  there 
is  next  to  impossible  for  any  one  but  an  Indian  or  an  Alpine  climber ; 
and  so  the  valley  has  to  be  entered  from  the  side,  at  the  western 
extremity,  either  by  the  Mariposa  trail  on  the  south,  or  the  Coulter- 
ville  trail  on  the  north. 


YOSEMITE  FALL. 

3634  feet  high. 


Q 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA. 


35 


YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

THE  distance  from  Stockton  to  Mariposa  is  about  ninety  miles,  and 
from  there  to  Clark's  about  twenty-five,  or  115  miles  by  stage 
or  carriage,  and  then  twenty-five  more  on  horseback  to  the  hotels  in 
the  valley  —  or  140  miles,  carpet-bagging  from  your  base  at  Stock 
ton,  which,  last  year,  was  the  nearest  point  by  rail ;  though  probably 
even  Mariposa  will  ere  long  be  reached  by  rail,  and  a  carriage-road 
be  made  twelve  miles  beyond  Clark's,  reducing  the  terrible  horse 
back  ride  to  twelve  or  thirteen  miles.  Rough  as  it  is,  many  ladies 
accomplish  it  every  year.  A  railroad  has  now  been  finished  from 
Stockton  to  Copperopolis,  reducing  the  stage  ride  by  Coulterville 
about  twenty-eight  miles. 

We  left  Stockton  in  a  light  carryall,  with  two  horses,  at  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  intending  to  take  our  own  time  for  the  journey.  On 
getting  into  the  country,  everything  looked  burnt  (this  was  in  the  last 
half  of  July)  ;  the  clayey  soil  was  cracked  in  all  directions  by  the 
heat,  sometimes  to  a  foot  in  depth,  presenting  very  much  the  appear 
ance  of  the  geological  mud-cracks  so  frequently  seen  in  the  rocks  filled 
with  a  harder  material.  The  crops  were  all  stacked  in  the  fields,  im 
mense  piles,  no  barns  being  necessary  to  protect  the  grain  at  this  dry 
season,  and  there  they  remain  till  the  steam-thresher  comes  along, 
and  the  threshed  grain  is  placed  in  sacks,  loaded  into  wagons,  and 
transported  to  the  river  or  the  cars.  The  scarcity  of  water  at  the 
surface  gives  an  indescribable  parched  appearance  to  the  landscape  ; 
yet  there  seems  to  be  an  ample  supply  at  a  moderate  depth,  and 
every  farm  has  its  wind-pump,  raising  water  from  a  kind  of  Artesian 
well,  distributed  by  gutters  over  the  fields  and  gardens.  The  inter 
minable  barren  plain,  dotted  with  herds  of  cattle  and  horses  driven 
by  their  herdsmen,  the  long  trains  of  grain-laden,  creaking  wagons, 
drawn  by  mules,  with  the  numerous  wind-pumps  lazily  and  noisily 
working,  remind  one  of  the  Spanish  landscape,  and  it  would  have 
been  entirely  in  keeping  with  the  surroundings  to  have  seen  Don 
Quixote  and  Sancho  Panza  ride  forth  from  a  court-yard.  The  squir 
rels  ran  out  from  their  burrows  by  the  sides  of  the  road,  and  scam 
pered  across  the  fields,  and  occasionally  a  long-eared,  diminutive, 
half-starved-looking  hare  would  be  seen  picking  up  a  scanty  meal 
among  the  stubble.  As  we  got  into  the  country,  or  rather  desert, 
for  it  was  a  hot,  treeless,  sandy  plain,  the  squirrels  became  more  nu 
merous,  apparently  in  inverse  proportion  to  the  amount  of  visible 
food,  accompanied  by  the  grave-looking  burrowing  owls  which  inflict 
their  presence,  the  other  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  on  the  prairie 
dogs ;  horned  lizards  were  not  uncommon,  lively  and  plump,  but 
what  they  found  to  eat  I  could  not  discover,  as  insect  life  seemed  to 
me  decidedly  scanty  ;  they  may  find  ants,  as  now  and  then  their  hills 
were  to  be  seen.  These  plains  are  remarkable  for  their  mirage,  and 
it  is  impossible  at  first  to  believe  that  the  lake  in  advance,  with  its 


36  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLET^ 

grateful  shade  of  trees,  is  nothing  but  deception  and  reflection  from 
the  sand,  with  here  and  there  a  scraggy  tree.  You  meet  no  travellers 
on  foot  except  a  few  Chinese,  dressed  like  ourselves,  except  the  hat 
and  blouse,  going  to  and  from  the  mining  locations  ;  and  even  they 
frequently  exchange  money  for  time,  and  ride  by  stage.  Wherever  a 
clump  of  trees  appears,  the  woodpeckers  and  magpies  are  numerous, 
and  the  wild  pigeons  are  hardly  wilder  than  the  pigeons  in  our 
streets.  The  oaks  are  beautifully  festooned  with  a  long,  hanging 
moss,  giving  the  same  funereal  look  that  a  similar  appendage  does  to 
the  cypress  swamps  of  the  Southern  States  ;  unlike  the  latter  in  most 
respects,  it  also  prefers  dry  and  sandy  plains  instead  of  moist  places, 
and  is  confined,  as  far  as  I  saw,  to  the  oaks.  The  Stanislaus  and 
Tuolumne  Rivers  are  crossed  by  ferries,  moved  by  most  primitive 
hand-power;  "pay  or  stay"  is  the  word  there,  and  a  ferry-man  is  even 
more  imperturbable  than  the  keeper  of  a  turnpike  ;  if  travellers  were 
numerous,  the  delay  and  the  changes  would  be  a  great  nuisance,  and 
the  only  way  to  get  orer  the  difficulty  wrould  seem  to  bridge  it. 

The  dust  and  the  heat  were  overpowering;  and,  much  as  we  suf 
fered,  the  horses  suffered  more ;  but  if  a  horse  gives  out  there  are 
plenty  of  others,  and  in  some  of  the  corrals  there  were  so  many  that 
the  owner  did  not  positively  know  how  many  he  had.  After  dinner 
one  of  the  horses  wras  used  up,  and  with  a  fresh  one  we  started  again, 
contrary  to  the  advice  of  the  driver,  who  was  not  sure  of  his  way  by 
night,  and  rode  consequently  till  midnight,  having  lost  our  way  as  far 
as  the  path  was  concerned,  but  sure  of  coming  out  all  right  by  keep 
ing  the  pole  star  over  our  left  shoulder,  as  you  can  ride  anywhere  on 
this  level  plain  just  as  you  can  upon  a  prairie.  We  arrived  at  Snel- 
ling's  at  midnight,  and,  after  sleep  rendered  unrefreshing  by  public 
snoring  and  foul  air,  with  the  additional  discomfort  of  a  very  poor 
breakfast,  we  began  the  second  day,  equally  hot  and  even  more  dusty, 
but  more  interesting  as  the  region  became  hilly.  At  noon  we  had 
reached  Hornitos,  well  named,  as  it  is  truly  a  "little  oven,"  and  gave 
us  a  good  baking;  passing  from  this  through  Bear  Valley,  you  trav 
erse  the  famous  Mariposa  Estate,  where  fortunes  have  been  lost  and 
won ;  the  former  rich  gold  placers  have  yielded  up  their  wealth,  and 
the  region  is  in  a  state  of  decay,  given  up  principally  to  Jews  and 
publicans,  and  the  Chinese  ;  the  latter  patiently,  and  laboriously,  and 
successfully  digging  over  the  old  sites,  already  dug  over  many  times 
before ;  yet  with  their  sobriety,  economy,  and  perseverance,  picking 
up  many  a  "chispa"(or  sparkling  bit  of  gold)  overlooked  by  the 
more  hasty  American  diggers.  There  is,  I  believe,  only  one  stamp 
mill  on  this  immense  property,  and  that  not  doing  much.  Deserted 
huts,  dilapidated  flumes,  broken  mining  apparatus,  and  desolate  heaps 
of  stones,  speak  sadly  of  the  crowds  that  have  departed  without  the 
treasure  which  they  sought ;  in  fact,  the  whole  region,  especially  near 
the  watercourses,  has  been  dug  over,  and  looks  like  a  violated  grave 
yard,  fit  emblem  of  the  bright  hopes  there  buried.  The  only  sign  of 
life  is  indicated  by  the  turbid  streams,  often  only  a  few  inches  deep 
and  wide,  discolored  by  the  washings  of  the  indefatigable  Chinese, 
not  far  off. 


AND    OF   CALIFORNIA.  37 


At  Mariposa,  which  is  situated  in  a  charming  valley,  though  at  this 
season  very  dry,  hot,  and  dusty,  we  found  another  relic  of  the  olden 
time  in  a  double  wheel  of  about  twelve  feet  diameter,  and  two  feet 
wide,  covered  with  lattice-work,  set  up  in  the  back-yard  of  the  prin 
cipal  hotel.  In  this  was  gravely  walking,  as  in  a  treadmill,  a  large 
dog,  turning  the  wheel  slowly,  thus  acting  upon  a  pump  which  sup 
plied  the  water  for  household  purposes  —  somewhat  in  the  manner 
of  the  dog-turnspit  of  old.  The  work  seemed  easy,  and  the  dog  was 
sleek,  and  apparently  contented  to  perform  his  welcome  duty  for  the 
house. 

Here  you  start  by  stage  or  your  own  conveyance,  for  the  higher 
hills,  for  White  and  Hatch's,  twelve  miles  distant,  3,000  feet  above 
the  sea ;  after  a  good  meal  and  welcome  rest  there,  you  start  again 
for  the  mountain  region,  and  very  soon  come  among  the  tall  pitch 
pines,  with  their  grateful  balsamic  odor,  and  ascend  nearly  3,000  feet 
more  in  about  seven  miles,  and  then  rapidly  descend  in  four  or  five 
more,  by  a  good  but  very  zigzag  road,  1,700  feet  to  Clark  and 
Moore's,  the  real  starting-point  for  the  valley  and  for  the  Mariposa 
Big-Tree  Grove.  You  generally  arrive  here  in  the  evening,  and  the 
coolness  of  the  air  and  water  are  very  grateful  after  the  heat,  and 
dust,  and  jolting  of  the  day ;  the  house  is  kept  by  New  England 
people,  and  you  are  received  in  the  most  hospitable  manner,  and 
nothing  is  wanting  to  make  you  comfortable.  Mr.  Clark  is  the 
guardian  of  the  grove,  appointed  by  the  State.  You  here,  if  you 
wish,  mount  your  horse  for  the  grove,  about  four  miles  distant;  but 
of  this  I  may  speak  on  another  occasion ;  here  also  is  the  south  fork 
of  the  Merced  River,  inviting  you  to  a  bath  in  its  clear  cool  water, 
and  very  few,  I  think,  decline  the  invitation  to  get  rid  of  the  accumu 
lated  dust  of  the  journey  from  Stockton.  The  hotel  is  about  on  the 
same  level  as  the  Yosemite  Valley,  but  many  a  weary  mile  and  aching 
muscle  intervene,  for  here  you  take  horse.  Leaving  early  next 
morning,  you  cross  the  river,  and  in  about  four  miles  ascend  1,900 
feet,  where  you  cross  Alder  Creek,  stopping  to  give  yourself  and 
horse  a  drink.  You  then  ascend  to  Empire  Camp,  now  used  only  as 
the  house  of  the  tenders  of  the  sheep  here  kept ;  we  went  through 
one  flock  containing  several  thousand,  and  the  dust  they  kicked  up 
was  suffocating,  as  it  was  quite  impossible  to  go  on  without  tramp 
ling  upon  them  in  the  narrow  path,  until  the  flock  had  passed  ;  the 
grizzlies  must  have  fine  pickings  among  them.  We  met,  also,  horses 
by  the  score,  running  wild,  turned  out  to  recover  from  the  fatigue  of 
carrying  pilgrims  like  ourselves,  and  many  very  much  heavier,  up 
and  clown  these  terrible  hills.  You  then,  after  about  twelve  miles, 
arrive  at  the  half-way  house,  or  Perigo's,  3,100  feet  above  Clark's, 
and  7,100  feet  above  the  sea;  here  frost  appears  early  in  August, 
preventing  the  production  of  any  useful  crops,  but  apparently  ad 
mirably  suited  to  the  chipmunks,  or  striped  squirrels,  which  run  in 
and  out  the  sheds  and  houses  like  mice.  The  guides  and  horses  are 
obliged  to  remain  out  of  doors  at  night,  the  former  consoling  them^ 
selves  by  a  large  bonfire.  From  this  you  may  branch  off  to  "Sen 
tinel  Dome"  and  "Glacier  Poiut,"  though  it  is  better  to  make  this 


38  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YOSEMITE    VALLEY, 

trip  after  you  have  seen  the  valley,  as  it  is  better  enjoyed  after  you 
know  what  you  are  looking  at  —  it  is  like  a  review  of  a  subject  pre 
viously  studied,  the  principal  points  of  which  cannot  be  understood 
or  appreciated  until  you  have  personally  examined  the  whole  field  of 
observation. 

Going  forward,  then,  you  enter  Westfall's  Meadow,  a  very  danger 
ous  place  out  of  the  path,  even  in  the  dryest  time  of  the  year,  from 
the  liability  of  miring  or  even  drowning  your  horse,  and  perhaps 
yourself — it  lies  in  a  basin  between  two  high  ridges,  and  is  never 
dry.  By  day  the  wind  blows  up  the  mountains,  and  by  night  down  ; 
you  have  the  dust,  therefore,  always  with  you.  going  up,  and  also 
going  down  if  any  one  be  in  advance  of  you  ;  this  dust  is  the  greatest 
annoyance  of  the  trip.  When  you  have  ascended  3,426  feet  above 
Clark's,  or  7,400  feet  above  the  sea,  you  come  suddenly  to  what  is 
called  "Inspiration  Point,"  and  there  the  magnificent  panorama  of  the 
valley  at  once,  and  for  the  first  time,  bursts  upon  the  view  ;  no  lan 
guage  can  describe  its  grandeur,  and  no  painting  can  do  it  justice ;  the 
best  idea  is  given  by  the  excellent  photographs  which  have  been 
taken  from  this  point,  but  even  these  are  poor  in  comparison  to  vis 
ion,  and  serve  rather  to  recall  features  once  seen  than  to  depict  the 
great  reality.  It  is  well  called  "Inspiration  Point,"  for  it  is  an  inspi 
ration  even  to  those  familiar  with  the  grandest  mountain  scenery ;  it 
is  probably  the  most  magnificent  view  to  be  had  in  the  world.  Hav 
ing  reached  this  point,  where  the  exploration  of  the  valley  really  be 
gins,  what  is  seen  in  the  valley  will  better  be  described  on  another 
occasion  ;  and  I  will  only  add  a  few  remarks,  which  may  be  interest 
ing  to  those  who  intend  or  hope  to  visit  it,  comparing  the  advantages 
of  the  two  principal  routes,  the  Coulterville  and  the  Mariposa.  By 
the  Coulterville  route  which  enters  the  valley  from  the  north,  you 
have  more  and  finer  views  of  the  distant  Sierra  to  the  north  and  east, 
and  see  the  various  points  of  beauty  in  succession  ;  by  the  Mariposa 
trail,  you  go  near  the  big  trees,  and  the  whole  grandeur  of  the  Yo- 
semite  is  revealed  at  Inspiration  Point ;  if  you  return  by  the  Mar 
iposa  route  you  get  a  second  view,  or  rather  review,  as  a  whole  of 
what  you  have  visited  in  detail,  and,  besides,  can  easily  make  the 
grand  trip  to  the  Sentinel  Dome  and  Glacier  Point,  the  view  from 
which  is  nearly  as  grand,  perhaps,  as  that  from  Inspiration  Point. 
If  one  prefers  to  try  both,  enter  by  all  means  by  the  Coulterville, 
and  leave  by  the  Mariposa  route.  As  to  public  conveyances,  you 
leave  Stockton  at  six  A.  M.,  and  reach  Hornitos  about  eight  p.  M.  ; 
starting  next  morning,  you  arrive  at  Mariposa  at  noon,  and  at  Clark's 
at  night.  There,  next  morning,  you  take  horses  for  the  valley,  dis 
tant  twenty-five  miles,  and  do  it  in  one  or  two  days,  according  to  the 
tenderness  of  the  parts  of  the  body  which  rub  against  the  saddle, 
and  your  experience  as  a  horseman.  You  spend  three  days,  at  least, 
in  the  valley ;  then  one  to  return  to  Westfall's,  where  the  trail  goes 
off  to  the  Sentinel  Dome,  which  should  not  be  omitted  —  one  to 
Clark's  and  the  big  trees  —  then  two  days  by  stage  to  Stockton  again 
—  in  all  eleven  days. 

If  you  go  by  private  conveyance,  it  takes  two  days  longer,  with 


VERNAL  FALL. 

(350  ft.  high)  and  Cap  of  Liberty  (4600  ft.  above  Valley.) 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  39 

much  more  expense  (more  than  twice  as  much),  and  with  no  more 
comfort  than  by  the  stage — in  fact,  delay  upon  the  road,  in  the  dust 
of  summer  and  heat  of  the  day,  is  only  a  prolongation  of  misery, 
which,  at  the  best,  is  very  hard  to  bear.  In  fact,  the  knowledge  ob 
tained  by  experience,  in  the  minds  of  some  travellers  I  met, 
is  not  worth  the  jolting,  and  jamming,  and  bruising,  and  soreness, 
inevitable  in  this  journey — in  fact,  one  of  them  said  that  though,  in 
the  words  of  Solomon,  if  you  bray  a  fool  in  a  mortar  with  a  pestle 
yet  will  not  his  folly  depart  from  him,  the  tumbles  and  bumps  and 
scrapes  of  the  Yosemite  trails  will  take  the  foolishness  out  of  a  man, 
and  the  poetry  too. 

But,  with  all  its  fatigue  and  discomforts,  there  is  nothing  in  this 
trip  to  alarm  the  most  timid  person ;  there  is  no  danger  to  the  ner 
vous  system,  but  great  fatigue  to  the  muscles,  whether  riding  or 
walking.  Notwithstanding  these  drawbacks,  I  think  no  one  who  has 
made  the  trip  will  ever  regret  it,  though  he  may  not,  till  railroads 
are  extended,  be  inclined  to  repeat  it  —  when  he  remembers  the 
grandeur  of  the  scenery,  the  magnificence  of  the  forests,  the  extraor 
dinary  beauty  of  the  waterfalls,  and  the  uncommon  puritjr  of  the  air 
and  clearness  of  the  sky  iii  these  elevated  regions. 

As  the  traveller  is  supposed  to  be  left  now  at  Inspiration  Point, 
gazing  into  the  beautiful  valley,  it  may  be  well  to  allude  to  the  sub 
lime  views  from  Sentinel  Dome  and  Glacier  Point,  both  above  and 
on  the  edge  of  the  valley.  The  Sentinel  Dome  is  a  great  rounded 
smooth  mass  of  granite,  about  five  miles  to  the  north-east  of  the 
half-way  house  of  Perigo's ;  there  are  upon  it  a  few  stunted  pines, 
and  one  remarkable  one  on  the  summit,  a  welcome  support  to  cling 
to  during  the  high  winds  which  prevail  there ;  you  may  ride  to  the 
very  top ;  but  most  prefer  to  walk,  especially  in  descending,  so  slip 
pery  is  the  bare  rock.  Looking  north-east  up  the  Teuaya  Canon,  in 
which  is  one  of  the  forks  of  the  Merced  River,  and  the  beautiful 
"Mirror  Lake,"  you  have  on  the  left,  in  the  distance,  the  snow-covered 
Mount  Hoffmann,  and  almost  under  it  the  "North  Dome,"  3,568  feet 
above  the  valley,  the  upper  portion  of  the  rounded,  concentric-lay 
ered,  granite  mass  before  alluded  to  as  the  "Royal  Arches,"  inacces 
sible  from  the  valley,  but  easily  ascended  by  a  ridge  which  runs  to 
the  north ;  this  magnificent  dome  is  worthily  supported  by  the  Royal 
Arches,  by  the  side  of  which  man's  proudest  architectural  monuments 
are  utterly  insignificant.  On  the  right,  or  south  border  of  the  canon, 
is  the  "Half  Dome,"  with  its  stupendous  vertical  face  of  3,000  feet 
from  the  summit,  then  a  steep  slope  of  about  seventy  degrees  of  2,700 
feet  more,  the  top  being  absolutely  inaccessible — beyond  is  the 
Clouds'  Rest,  700  feet  higher,  but  belonging  rather  to  the  Higher 
Sierra  than  to  the  Yosemite  group ;  on  the  opposite  side  is  Mount 
Watkins,  named  from  the  eminent  photographer  of  this  region,  and 
beyond  this  the  distant  Sierra.  The  Sentinel  Dome  is  4,150  feet 
above  the  valley,  and  the  Half  Dome  is  nearly  600  feet  higher.  To 
the  east  is  seen  the  Nevada  Fall,  with  Mount  Broderick,  or  the  "Cap 
of  Liberty,"  to  the  left  of  it;  in  the  far  distance  the  Lyell  group, 
and  to  the  south-east  the  steep,  inaccessible  granite  peak,  named 
after  Starr  King,  belonging  to  the  Merced  group. 


40  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YOSEM1TE    VALLE1 

About  half  a  mile  north-east  of  the  Sentinel  Dome,  and  directly  in 
a  line  with  the  edge  of  the  Half  Dome,  is*  Glacier  Point,  overhanging 
the  valley,  and  presenting  a  view  which  for  beauty  and  grandeur  is 
by  many  regarded  as  the  finest  around  the  valley.  Both  the  Vernal 
and  the  Nevada  Falls  are  in  sight  to  the  east,  separated  from 
each  other  about  a  mile,  and  the  nearest  one,  the  Vernal,  a  little  more 
than  a  mile  from  the  spectator ;  the  point  is  fringed  almost  to  the 
edge  with  Jeffrey's  pine.  The  view  of  the  Half  Dome,  only  two 
miles  distant,  and  directly  in  line,  is  grand  in  the  extreme.  To  the 
north  is  seen  the  Yosemite  Fall,  2, GOO  feet  high,  and  to  the  west,  lim 
iting  the  vision,  is  the  massive  El  Capitan,  a  solid  block  of  granite, 
3,000  feet  high,  projecting  squarely  into  the  valley,  with  almost  ver 
tical  sides.  Below  you  see  the  green  of  the  valley  contrasting  beau 
tifully  with  the  cold  gray  of  the  bare  rocks,  the  tall  pines  looking  like 
shrubs,  and  a  man  scarcely  discernible.  The  thread  of  the  Merced 
River  sometimes  glistens  in  the  sun,  and  the  garden  of  Mr.  Lamon 
forms  a  pleasing  feature  with  its  greenness  and  orderly  arrangement. 
Travellers  who  fail  to  visit  this  point,  in  my  judgment,  lose  one  of 
the  finest  views  in  the  whole  Tosemite. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


THE  CLIFFS  AND  FALLS  OF  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

THE  Yosernite  Valley,  according  to  the  California  geologists,  is 
nearly  in  the  centre  of  the  State  north  and  south,  and  in  the 
middle  of  the  Sierra,  which  is  here  seventy  miles  wide.  It  is  nearly 
level,  about  five  miles  long,  one  half  to  a  mile  wide,  and  sunk 
nearly  a  mile  perpendicular  below  the  neighboring  region.  It  is  an 
irregular  trough,  with  many  projecting  angles  not  corresponding 
with  recesses  on  the  opposite  side,  an  argument  against  its  being  a 
geological  fissure.  At  its  eastern  end  it  branches  into  three  canons, 
the  Tenaya,  little  Yosemite,  and  Illilouette,  down  which  flow  three 
main  branches  which  form  the  Merced  River  in  the  valley ;  the  last 
two  with  fine  falls,  the  first  with  a  beautiful  crystal  lake.  At  the 
west  end  it  is  narrow  and  V-shaped.  The  walls  are  almost  vertical, 
and  of  great  height,  both  absolutely  and  compared  with  the  width 
of  the  valley,  and  are  remarkable  for  the  small  amount  of  debris  at 
their  base.  The  most  distinguishing  characters  are  the  domes  and 
the  waterfalls,  any  one  of  which  in  Europe  would  be  of  world-wide 
fame ;  there  is  nothing  in  the  Old  World  to  compare  with  either,  and 
of  the  latter  many,  far  surpassing  anything  in  the  Alps,  are  not  no 
ticed,  as  there  are  so  many  fine  ones  demanding  the  traveller's  atten 
tion. 

Coming  in  from  the  Mariposa  trail,  as  you  descend  from  Inspiration 
Point  3,000  feet,  slowly  and  painfully  to  yourself,  and  with  pity  for 
the  horses,  you  come  at  every  turn  upon  views  of  surpassing  grandeur 
and  beauty.  On  the  left  stands  the  massive  "El  Capitan,"  an  im 
mense  block  of  bare,  smooth,  light-colored  granite,  3,300  feet  high, 
projecting  squarely  into  the  valley,  and  with  almost  vertical  sides. 
At  first  you  cannot  realize  its  stupendous  bulk  and  height;  there 
is  no  standard  to  judge  by  where  everything  is  on  so  grand  a  scale ; 
nothing  but  climbing  about  among  them  will  open  your  eyes  to  the 
amazing  heights  of  the  cliffs  and  falls.  Of  El  Capitan,  Whitney 
says  "it  seems  as  if  hewed  from  the  mountains  on  purpose  to  stand 
as  the  type  of  eternal  massiveness.  It  is  doubtful  if  anywhere  in 
the  world  is  presented  so  squarely  cut,  so  lofty,  and  so  imposing  a 
face  of  rock."  In  a  recess  in  one  corner  is  the  "Virgin's  Tears"  fall, 
1,000  feet  high,  rarely  seen  by  travellers,  as  the  creek  which  sup 
plies  it  is  dried  up  early  in  the  season ;  it  is  superior,  while  it  lasts, 
to  the  famous  Staubbach  fall  in  Switzerland,  the  admiration  of  Alpine 
tourists,  and  one  of  the  finest  in  Europe.  The  Indian  name  of  El 
Capitan  is  "Tutocanula,"  said  to  be  an  imitation  of  the  cry  of  the 
cranes,  which  in  winter  used  to  enter  the  valley  over  this  rock. 

Directly  opposite  is  the  beautiful  "Bridal  Veil"  fall,  about  700  feet 
in  perpendicular  height,  and  200  more  of  cascades  as  it  rushes  over 
the  debris  at  the  bottom  of  "Cathedral  Rock,"  over  which  it  pours ; 
the  creek  which  supplies  this  fall,  you  pass  when  going  to  "  Sentinel 


42  THE    WONDERS    OF  THE    YOSEMITE    VALLET, 

Dome,"  and  the  coolness  of  its  clear  water  is  sure  to  be  tasted  by  the 
traveller  and  his  horse.  In  the  dialect  of  the  Indians,  this  is  "Po- 
hono" — a  blast  of  wind,  or  the  night  wind,  from  the  chilliness  of  the 
air  experienced  by  coining  under  the  cliff,  and  perhaps  from  the 
swaying  of  the  sheet  in  the  wind  like  a  veil ;  others  think  Pohono 
was  an  evil  spirit,  whose  breath  was  a  dangerous  and  deadly  wind. 
Whatever  its  derivation,  the  poetical  name  of  the  Indian  is,  here  as 
in  other  places  in  the  valley,  much  superior  to  the  English  one.  As 
in  all  the  falls,  the  amount  of  water  varies  greatly  with  the  season,  be 
ing  greatest  in  May  and  June  ;  it  is  most  beautiful  later  in  the  summer, 
when  the  volume  of  water  is  small,  as  it  then  sways  more  gracefully 
in  the  wind. 

The  "Cathedral  Rocks,"  over  which  the  "Bridal  Veil"  falls,  are 
neither  so  high  nor  so  vertical  as  El  Capitan ;  though  only  about 
2,600  feet  high,  they  are  very  grand  whichever  way  you  look  at 
them;  from  one  point  the  pinnacles  called  the  "Spires"  are  so 
squarely  cut  that  they  remind  you  of  the  towers  of  Notre  Dame  in 
Paris.  These  grand  masses,  amid  so  many  grander,  are  hardly  no 
ticed  by  the  tourist ;  what  appear  on  the  top  like  bushes  are  ever 
greens  125  to  150  feet  high,  as  large  as  those  which  excite  your 
wonder  in  the  valley. 

On  the  opposite  side  is  a  triple  group  of  rocks,  known  as  the 
"Three  Brothers,"  rising  one  behind  the  other,  the  highest  being 
4,200  feet  above  the  valley.  The  Indian  name  is  "Pompompasus," 
or  "Leaping  Frogs,"  from  a  fancied  resemblance  to  three  frogs  with 
their  heads  turned  in  one  direction,  the  highest  in  the  rear  as  if  in 
the  act  of  leaping. 

Nearly  opposite  the  "Brothers,"  just  in  the  rear  of  the  first  hotel, 
or  Leydig's,  is  "Loya,"  or  "Sentinel  Rock."  This  is  a  slender  peak 
of  granite,  over  3,000  feet  high,  the  upper  third  standing  up  like  an 
obelisk  or  signal  tower ;  it  is  one  of  the  grandest  masses  of  rock  in 
the  valley.  Behind  it,  and  more  than  1,000  feet  higher,  is  the  "Sen 
tinel  Dome,"  before  described,  not  seen  from  the  valley.  From 
"Sentinel  Rock"  descends  a  small  fall,  3,000  feet  high,'  400  feet 
higher  than  the  Yosemite  fall,  but  reduced  in  July  to  a  mere  thread, 
uuperceived  by  most  travellers ;  in  early  spring  it  is  a  very  beautiful 
cascade. 

The  great  feature  in  the  valley  to  most  persons  is  the  Yosemite 
fall,  just  opposite,  surpassing  in  height  all  others,  here  or  else 
where,  having  an  equal  body  of  water.  The  grandeur  and  beauty 
of  this  fall  and  its  surroundings  are,  in  a  measure,  familiar  from  ex 
cellent  photographs,  engravings  and  paintings.  The  creek  which 
supplies  the  water  is  fed  by  the  melting  snows  of  the  Mt.  Hoffmann 
group,  ten  miles  to  the  northeast ;  of  courss  the  volume  of  water 
varies  greatly,  being  very  large  in  spring,  but  in  August  reduced 
two-thirds.  When  generally  seen,  in  June  and  July,  the  stream  at 
the  fall,  according  to  Whitney,  is  twenty  feet  wide  and  two  feet 
deep.  The  height  is  2,600  feet,  half  a  mile;  a  vertical  fall  of  1,600 
feet,  swajnng  in  the  wind  and  broken  into  spray  in  a  most  beautiful 
manner,  and  falling  into  a  deep,  rocky  recess ;  then  a  descent,  in  a 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


43 


series  of  cascades,  of  600  feet ;  aud  then  a  final  plunge  of  400  feet  to 
the  bottom  of  the  valley,  falling  upon  a  rough  assemblage  of  rocks, 
then  flowing  off  to  join  the  Merced  River,  being  iguominiously  made 
to  turn  a  saw-mill  on  its  way.  All  the  falls  you  see  well  from  "  Sen 
tinel  Dome,"  opposite,  distant  two  and  a  half  miles,  and  consider 
ably  above  them.  It  is  impossible  to  imagine  anything  finer  than 
this  scene  under  a  full  moon. 

A  mile  or  two  above  the  Yosemite  fall,  the  valley  branches  into 
three  canons,  the  middle  one  kept  by  the  main  Merced  River,  with 
the  "Vernal "and  "Nevada"  falls,  the  little  Yosemite  Valley  (a  min 
iature  copy  of  the  greater),  and  the  ascent  to  the  Lyell  group,  where 
the  river  heads ;  on  the  left  hand  is  the  Tenaya  canon,  and  on  the 
right  the  Illilouette.  Just  before  these  branches  is  the  "Washington 
Column,"  ("Shokoui,")  about  2,500  feet  high,  and  the  "Royal 
Arches,"  ("Tocoya,"  or  the  "Basket,")  supporting,  as  it  were,  the 
"North  Dome  " ;  the  last  is  about  3,700  feet  high,  made  up  of  huge 
concentric  plates  of  granite  overlapping  each  other.  The  "Half,"  or 
"South  Dome,"  (" Tisayac,")  opposite,  about  6,000  feet  high,  is 
another  magnificent  mass  of  smooth,  rounded  granite,  looking  as  if 
the  western  half  had  been  split  off  and  swallowed  in  an  abyss  —  it  is 
truly  a  "wonder  among  wonders." 

Following  up  the  Tenaya  canon,  over  a  very  rough  trail  among 
boulders  aud  rolling  and  rough  stones,  you  come  to  "Mirror  Lake" 
("Waiya"),  so  called  from  the  reflection  in  its  still,  clear  water  of 
the  surrounding  peaks,  Mt.  Watkins  and  others.  Farther  up  is 
"Cloud's  Rest,"  nearly  7,000  feet  high,  connecting  with  the  higher 
Sierra,  and  frequently  surrounded  by  clouds  when  the  other  peaks 
are  clear. 

Returning  and  going  up  the  canon  of  the  main  Merced  River,  you 
visit  the  "Vernal "and  "Nevada"  falls,  each  the  body  of  the  main 
river.  The  trail  is  in  many  places  difficult,  but  nowhere  dangerous, 
with  ordinary  care ;  you  are  almost  constantly  ascending,  winding  in 
and  out,  up  and  down,  along  the  banks  of  the  stream,  which  flows 
with  great  rapidity  and  turbulence  in  its  rocky  bed,  affording  some 
enchanting  views  of  mountain  and  cascade  scenery.  Here  we  met 
Mr.  Shapleigh,  an  artist  from  Boston,  with  whose  fine  sketches  most 
of  our  California  tourists  are  now  familiar. 

After  about  a  mile's  climbing,  you  arrive  in  sight  of  the  "Vernal 
Fall"  (Piwyack,  white  water,  or  shower  of  diamonds),  about  400 
feet  high.  The  granite  behind  the  sheet  is  square,  and  little,  if  any, 
eroded  by  the  falling  water ;  so  that  it  is  hard  to  believe  that  this 
canon  and  fall  have  been  the  result  of  any  causes  now  in  action 
there  ;  there  must  have  been  a  subsidence,  as  most  observers  think 
was  the  case  in  the  formation  of  the  valley  itself.  The  trail  up  the 
canon  in  its  upper  portion,  around  and  along  the  steep  side  of  the 
mountain,  is  slippery,  and  wet  with  the  spray;  you  can  ride  by  a 
rough  road  to  the  top,  but  most  persons  prefer  to  walk,  muddy  and 
moist  though  it  be.  You  can  go  no  farther  than  the  base  of  the 
cliff  by  the  path,  and  you  villingly  stop  to  rest  and  admire  the 
ever-changing  rainbows  over  the  water,  aud  enjoy  the  refreshing 


44  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    rOSEMITE    VALLET, 

coolness  and  shade.  At  this  point  there  is  a  spacious  cavern, 
formed  in  the  concentric  layers  of  granite  peculiar  to  this  region ; 
this  was  once  probably  the  lair  of  wild  animals,  and  the  still  wilder 
Indian,  as  it  is  now  said  to  be  of  the  rattlesnake.  The  ascent  is 
now  made  by  perpendicular  and  not  very  strong  ladders  of  wood, 
making  the  nervous  tremble  lest  their  feet  should  slip,  and  anxious 
lest  they  should  meet  a  rattlesnake  sunning  himself  on  the  landings 
along  the  ascent.  These  reptiles  are  numerous  here,  and  are  fre 
quently  killed  by  the  sticks  with  which  cautious  travellers  arm 
themselves ;  though  we  met  iione  alive,  the  rattles  exhibited,  and  the 
dead  ones  hanging  to  the  trees,  show  that  they  are  too  common  for 
comfort.  At  the  summit  the  view  down  the  canon  is  indescribably 
grand,  and  the  more  enjoyable  as  a  parapet  of  granite  runs  along  the 
edge,  just  high  enough  to  support  you  in  safety  almost  on  the  very 
brink. 

Going  up  the  stream  by  a  very  rugged  and  often  steep  path,  wind 
ing  around  immense  boulders  which  have  fallen  from  the  heights  on 
each  side  —  the  beautiful  Merced  River  foaming  along  in  its  rocky 
bed,  with  rapids  succeeding  each  other  in  endless  variety,  in  one 
place  shooting  like  silver  lace-work  over  a  smooth  surface  into  a  pool 
of  emerald  hue  —  crossing  the  main  and  rushing  stream  on  a  rude 
bridge,  and  some  of  its  torrents  on  trunks  of  trees,  not  altogether 
safe  because  steep  and  slippery,  you  come,  after  a  mile  of  hard 
climbing,  to  the  "Nevada"  fall  ("  Yowiye,"  slanting  or  twisted  water) . 
This  name  is  given  because  just  below  the  edge  is  a  projecting  shelf, 
which  receives  and  throws  to  one  side  a  great  portion  of  the  water ; 
this  adds  much  to  the  picturesqueness  of  the  fall,  b}'  its  unusual 
shape.  It  is  the  grandest  in  the  valley,  having  a  large  body  of  water 
of  extreme  purity,  falling  about  700  feet;  it  is  surrounded  by 
majestic  mountains,  the  most  noted  of  which  is  the  "Cap  of  Liberty," 
or  "Mt.  Broderick"  (Mah-ta),  4,600  feet  high,  and  almost  as  grand 
as  the  "  Half  Dome."  The  descent  between  the  Nevada  and  the 
Vernal  falls  is  about  300  feet.  Returning  you  may  look  up  the 
cauon  of  the  Illilouette,  where  in  early  spring  is  a  fine  fall  of  600 
feet,  rarely  visited,  from  the  difficulty  of  the  trail. 

The  Yosemite  Valley  is  nearly  level,  sloping  very  gently  to  the 
southwest,  the  sluggish  Merced  River,  about  seventy  feet  wide, 
flowing  through  it ;  it  ends  in  a  narrow  canon  to  the  west.  It  is 
4,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  contains  some  swampy  meadows  sup 
porting  alders;  there  are  also  the  spruce  and  poplar,  and  in  the 
sandy  parts  the  pitch  pine,  white  cedar,  firs  and  oaks.  The  walls  are 
light  gray,  very  bright  in  the  sun,  here  and  there  discolored  by  or 
ganic  matters  in  solution  in  the  water ;  most  paintings  give  the  rocks 
a  golden  haze  which  they  do  not  possess. 

The  characteristics  of  this  valley  are,  as  far  as  I  know,  nowhere 
else  in  the  world  combined  on  such  a  large  scale.  These  are :  grand 
perspectives ;  stupendous  perpendicular  cliffs ;  vast  domes ;  glisten 
ing  ribbons  of  cascades  coming  apparently  from  the  clouds  ;  thunder 
ing  falls  like  the  Vernal  and  Nevada ;  frightful  chasms ;  crystal 
lakes ;  gigantic  pines ;  and  a  beautiful  river.  There  is  a  painful 


"• 


NEVADA  FALL. 
700  feet  high. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


45 


lack  of  color  arising  from  the  imioa  of  cold  gray  granite  and  som 
bre  evergreens;  the  valley  is  so  narrow,  and  the  walls  so  high,  that 
the  sun  practically  sets  early  in  the  afternoon,  adding  a  premature 
dusk  to  the  wild  scenery. 

In  early  spring,  when  the  snow  begins  to  melt  on  the  mountains, 
innumerable  waterfalls  appear,  most  of  which  are  dried  up  before 
travellers  arrive.  Some  prefer  the  grand  volume  of  Niagara,  others 
the  graceful  height  of  the  Yosemite ;  both  are  equally  wonderful  and 
beautiful,  but  no  more  to  be  compared  than  the  sturdy  oak  to  the 
clinging  vine,  or  the  vigor  of  man  to  the  beauty  of  woman.  As  a 
rule,  I  should  say  that  the  female  sex  prefer  Niagara,  while  males 
prefer  Yosemite.  from  the  natural  love  of  their  opposites.  The  high 
waterfalls  of  Europe  are  not  large ;  the  highest  (Gavarnie,  in  the 
Pyrenees)  is  not  half  so  high  as  the  Yosemite,  and  is  a  mere  trick 
ling  stream;  the  Staubbach,  in  Switzerland,  is  about  as  high  as  the 
"Bridal  Veil"  (900  feet),  but  has  very  little  water;  the  Voring  Foss, 
in  Norway,  said  to  be  the  finest  in  Europe,  is  only  850  feet,  and  is 
considered,  by  those  who  have  seen  both,  far  inferior  to  the  California 
falls.  Beautiful  as  they  are  in  summer,  these  falls  in  winter,  with 
their  frozen  spray  forming  domes  more  than  100  feet  high,  the  drops 
rebounding  in  the  sun  like  diamonds,  must  present  a  sight  of  sur 
passing  beauty  and  grandeur.* 

How  was  this  grand  and  unique  valley  formed? 

Nowhere  is  the  tremendous  erosive  action  of  water  more  fully  exhib 
ited  than  in  the  great  canons  and  valleys  of  the  Sierra  Nevada ;  canons 
2, 000  feet  deep  have  been  worn  in  hard  lava  by  the  long-continued  ac 
tion  of  mountain  torrents,  and  the  rocks  are  everywhere  channelled  by 
this  cause  ;  but  these  gorges  do  not  have  the  vertical  walls  of  the  Yosem 
ite,  nor  such  perpendicular  granite  surfaces  as  "  El  Capitan,"  3,000 
feet  high,  meeting  each  other  at  right  angles ;  the  faces  here  are 
turned  down  the  valley,  opposite  to  that  in  which  erosion  by  water 
could  have  acted.  The  "Half  Dome"  rises  vertically  2,000  feet 
above  the  level  walls  of  the  valley,  and  the  same  distance  above  the 
action  of  water,  even  had  its  torrent  filled  the  whole  valley.  There 
is  no  apparent  source  of  supply  for  the  water  necessary  to  have  pro 
duced  such  an  erosion,  even  upon  the  wildest  glacier  theory;  the 
valley  is  too  irregular  and  sharp  upon  its  sides,  and  the  canon  of 
exit  too  narrow  to  admit  of  this  explanation. 

The  erosive  action  of  ice  cannot  be  reasonably  advanced  as  the 
cause ;  there  is  no  evidence  of  ice-action  in  the  valley,  though  there 
is  plenty  of  it  on  the  sides  above  it,  and  to  the  very  edge ;  moreover, 
the  work  of  ice,  as  seen  in  the  Alps  and  elsewhere,  is  entirely  unlike 
what  is  seen  in  the  Yosemite  Valley. 

It  cannot  be  regarded  as  a  geological  fissure,  for  the  walls  are  on  an 
average  half  a  mile  apart,  and  the  same  in  depth  ;  and  they  in  no  way 

*  We  are  informed  by  a  traveller  recently  returned  from  the  valley,  that  the  Yosem 
ite  fall  was  entirely  dry  this  year  in  the  first  week  of  September ;  travellers  at  this 
season  lost,  therefore,  perhaps  the  most  beautiful  feature  of  the  valley,  and  the  most 
remarkable  waterfall  in  the  world. 


46  THE.    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLEY, 

correspond  on  the  two  sides.  As  it  is  transverse  to  the  line  of  the 
mountain  upheaval,  it  cannot  be  the  result  of  folding. 

There  remains  the  hypothesis  of  the  California  geologists,  which 
seems  to  me  the  true  one,  viz. :  that  during,  or  perhaps  after,  the  up 
heaval  of  the  Sierra,  there  was  a  subsidence  —  that  the  bottom  of  the 
valley  sunk  down  to  an  unknown  depth,  the  support  underneath  hav 
ing  been  withdrawn  during  the  convulsion.  This  explains  the  ab 
sence  of  debris,  which  has  gone  down  to  fill  the  abyss.  The  valley 
was  undoubtedly  once  filled  with  water;  the  disappearance  of  the 
glaciers,  the  gradual  dessiccation  of  the  country,  and  the  filling  up  of 
the  abyss,  have  converted  the  lake  into  a  valley  with  a  river  running 
through  it ;  the  process  of  filling  is  continually  going  on  from  the  ac 
tion  of  the  elements  upon  the  surrounding  rocks. 

There  are  other  examples  of  similar  probable  subsidences,  as  in 
the  little  Yosemite  and  Hetch-Hetchy  Valleys.  Lake  Tahoe  and  its 
valley  are  perhaps  the  result  of  a  simitar  subsidence,  the  lake  occupy 
ing  the  cup  of  a  sunken  crater.  • 

The  following,  from  the  Overland  Monthly,  well  describes  the 
sensations  which  arise  on  viewing  the  Yosemite  Valley  : 

"Such  magnificence  of  rocks,  such  stupendousness  of  cliffs,  far 
outstripped  conception,  and  staggered  even  perception  itself.  You 
disbelieve  your  own  eyes.  Judgment  fails  you.  You  have  to  recon 
struct  it.  Comparison  serves  you  little,  for  you  have  no  adequate 
standard  with  which  to  compare,  or  by  which  to  estimate  the  rock- 
mountains  before  you.  They  are  like  nothing  else  but  themselves. 
Look  at  that  tree :  elsewhere  you  would  call  it  lofty.  It  must  be 
a  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high,  and  yet  that  wall  of  rock  behind  rises 
straight  up  to  twenty  times  its  height  above  it.  Slowly  you  begin 
to  "even  yourself  "to  the  stupendous  scale  of  the  gigantic  shapes 
around,  though  yet  trembling  and  staggering  under  the  overwhelm 
ing  immensity  pouring  in  upon  you  from  around  and  above.  A  score 
of  cataracts  in  solid  rock,  Niagaras  in  stone  pile  upon  each  other  and 
pour  over  each  other  in  absolutely  painful  tremendousness.  Solidified 
vastness ;  infinity  petrified ;  the  very  buttresses  of  eternity  over 
power  the  sight  and  benumb  the  brain.  The  works  of  God  crush 
out  the  words  of  man.  We  can  only  silently  uncover  and  stand 
speechless,  with  abated  breath." 


Q 


THE  SENTINELS. 
315  feet  high,  diam.  20  feet. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  47 


BIG  TREES. 

NO  traveller  from  the  East  should  fail  to  visit  one  or  the  other  of 
the  groves  of  ' '  Big  Trees  " ;  the  principal  ones  are  the  Calaveras 
and  Mariposa,  the  property  and  the  charge  of  the  State  of  California, 
to  be  held  as  public  parks  forever.  These  trees  are  the  highest  and 
largest  of  the  vegetable  kingdom,  both  dimensions  considered  ;  though 
some  of  the  eucalypti  of  Australia  are  100  feet  higher,  and  the  baobab 
of  Africa  is  larger  in  diameter,  the  former  is  of  comparatively  small 
diameter,  and  the  latter  of  medium  height.  We  are  familiar  here  with 
the  wood  and  bark,  and  even  the  cones,  seeds  and  foliage,  from  a  large 
specimen  recently  exhibited  in  the  principal  cities  and  towns,  and 
which,  it  is  hoped,  may  ere  long  find  a  permanent  resting-place  in 
Boston. 

These  huge  trees  are  said  to  have  been  accidentally  discovered  in 
1852  by  a  hunter  employed  by  a  mining  and  water  company,  whose 
story  was  so  little  believed  that  he  was  obliged  to  lure  the  workmen 
to  see  the  trees,  by  leading  them  to  a  huge  grizzly  bear  which  he  said 
he  had  killed,  and  was  unable  to  bring  in  alone. 

The  wonder  soon  got  into  the  papers,  and  was  quickly  known  all 
over  this  country  and  Europe.  Dr.  Lindley,  failing  to  recognize  its 
genus,  named  it  "  Wellingtonia  gigantea,"  after  the  greatest  modern 
English  military  commander ;  it  had  already  been  called  in  America 
"  Washingtonia  gigantea,"  in  compliment  to  our  noblest  military  hero. 
Decaisne,  a  French  botanist,  discovered  that  it  belonged  to  the  same 
genus  as  the  California  redwood  (Sequoia  sempervirens) ,  and  it  is 
now  known  in  science  as  8.  gigantea. 

The  genus  was  named  in  honor  of  Sequoyah,  a  Cherokee  half-breed, 
better  known  as  "George  Guess,"  who  lived  in  the  last  quarter  of  the 
18th,  and  the  first  third  of  the  present  century.  He  dwelt  in  the 
north-east  corner  of  Alabama,  and  invented  for  his  tribe  an  alphabet 
and  written  language ;  there  were  in  it  86  characters,  each  represent 
ing  a  syllable.  It  was  considerably  used,  and  a  paper  was  printed 
partly  in  these  characters.  The  memory  of  this  benefactor  of  his  peo 
ple  will  probably  soon  pass  away  with  his  nation,  now  driven  beyond 
the  Mississippi,  and  rapidly  becoming  exterminated. 

The  redwood,  so  called  from  the  color  of  its  wood,  is  limited  to  the 
seaboard,  seeming  to  require  for  its  growth  the  salt  mists  from  the 
ocean.  The  "Big  Trees"  are  inland,  and  confined  to  limited  ranges 
in  the  Sierra ;  but  both  are  California^,  and  the  latter  entirely  so. 
The  genus  is  also  found  fossil  in  the  earlier  "  tertiary  "  of  Greenland, 
as  high  as  lat.  70  deg.  N.  ;  the  study  of  these  giants,  therefore,  is  of 
great  interest  to  the  palaeontologist  and  geologist. 

The  redwood  is  found  along  the  coast  from  36  deg.  to  42  deg.  N. 
Near  San  Francisco  and  the  large  towns  they  are  all  cut  down ;  but  in 
other  places  they  constitute  forests  100  miles  long  and  10  to  15  wide. 


48  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YOSEMITE    VALLEY, 

They  are  almost  as  grand  as  the  Big  Trees  themselves,  being  50  to  70 
feet  in  circumference,  and  275  feet  high  ;  they  form  the  entire  forest 
(the  Big  Trees  occurring  in  groups  or  groves  among  other  trees) ,  pre 
senting  therefore  a  grander  sight,  with  their  straight  trunks  without 
branches  for  100  to  150  feet.  The  contrast  of  the  cinnamon-colored 
trunks  and  the  deep  green  foliage,  shutting  out  the  sunlight  above, 
with  the  gloom  and  absolute  silence  of  these  majestic  groves,  prepares 
one  to  expect  processions  of  ancient  Druids  emerging  from  these 
stately  avenues,  and  to  come  upon  some  previously-undiscovered 
Stonehenge  in  these  magnificent  solitudes. 

The  groves  of  the  "Big  Trees"  are  found  only  between  36  deg.  and 
38 £  deg.  N.  lat.,  and  between  5,000  and  7,000  feet  in  vertical  range. 
Of  the  eight  or  nine  groves,  the  most  famous  are  the  Calaveras  and 
Mariposa,  the  first  the  most  northern  of  all.  The  Calaveras  grove  is 
the  most  accessible,  and  without  horseback  riding,  and  is  distant  only 
74  miles  from  Stockton  ;  of  this  distance,  you  may  go  nearly  30  by  rail 
to  Copperopolis,  and  the  remainder  by  stages,  riding  directly  into  the 
grove,  in  which  is  situated  the  hotel.  The  grove  is  about  the  size  of 
Boston  Common,  being  about  half  a  mile  long  and  one-eighth  of  a  mile 
wide,  in  a  depression  through  which,  in  summer,  runs  a  small  brook. 
There  are  over  a  hundred  large  trees,  20  of  which  are  more  than  25 
feet  in  diameter  at  the  base,  and  many  smaller,  though  very  large 
ones.  Some  have  fallen  from  age,  and  a  few  have  been  felled.  The 
largest  now  standing,  the  "Mother  of  the  Forest,"  is  320  feet  high, 
90  feet  in  circumference  at  the  ground,  and  61  feet  in  circumference 
six  feet  from  the  ground  ;  the  bark  was  removed  up  to  a  height  of  over 
100  feet,  and  was  exhibited  in  this  country  and  in  England,  and  was 
burned  in  the  Sydeiiham  Crystal  Palace ;  there  are  pieces  of  it  in  this 
city  more  than  two  feet  thick.  The  "Father  of  the  Forest,"  pros 
trate  on  the  ground,  was  the  largest  in  the  grove,  estimated  to 
have  been  435  feet  high,  and  110  in  circumference  at  the  base; 
this  is  much  larger  than  any  now  standing.  One  of  the  largest 
was  felled  in  1853  —  5  men  working  25  days  with  pump  augers 
and  wedges ;  it  was  300  feet  high,  and  96  feet  in  circumference 
on  the  ground ;  it  was  80  feet  in  circumference  6  feet  from  the 
base,  and  large  enough  to  accommodate  four  sets  of  quadrilles  on  the 
stump ;  and  on  its  prostrate  trunk,  a  house  and  double  bowling-alloy 


80  feet  long  have  been  built.    It  was  a  section  of  this  tree,  cut  40  feet 
from  the  ground,  that  was  exhibited  in  our  Eastern  cities  last  year ; 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA.  49 

this  tree  was  probably  not  less  than  1,300  years  old.     Another  pros 
trate  trunk,  called  the  "Burnt  Tree,"  will  admit  of  a  person  on  horse 


back  riding  through  its  hollow  for  60  feet,  in  at  one  knot-hole  and  out 
at  another.  The  tallest  now  standing  is  the  "Keystone  State,"  325 
feet  high,  but  only  45  feet  in  circumference  6  feet  from  the  ground; 
there  arc  several  others  from  300  to  230  feet  high,  and  25  to  30  in  cir 
cumference  ;  and  a  large  number  still  smaller,  but  splendid  and  sym 
metrical  trees.  The  trees  by  which  these  are  surrounded  are  so  tall, 
that  it  is  difficult  to  appreciate  the  height  of  these  giants  ;  when  you 
reflect  that  the  largest  trees  here  are  more  than  100  feet  higher  than 
Bunker  Hill  Monument,  and  the  "Father  of  the  Forest"  nearly  as  large 
at  the  base,  you  get  some  idea  of  their  actual  and  relative  size.  The 
tops  arc  almost  always  rugged  and  broken  by  the  storms  and  winds, 
so  that,  as  a  general  rule,  they  impress  more  by  their  size  than  their 
beauty  and  symmetry.  When  you  are  surrounded  by  trees  250  feet 
high,  50  feet  more  or  less  can  hardly  be  appreciated  by  the  eye. 
Other  names  of  celebrated  trees  in  this  grove  are  "Hercules,"  "Hermit," 
"Old  Bachelor,"  "Old  Maid,"  "Siamese  Twins,"  "Mother  and  Son," 
"Three  Graces,"  "Gen.  Jackson,"  "Daniel  Webster,"  "Clay,"  "Wash 
ington,"  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin." 

The  "Sentinels,"  about  50  feet  in  circumference,  and  275  feet  high, 
stand  guard  at  the  entrance  of  the  grove,  like  giants  at  the  portal  of 
an  enchanted  palace ;  and  between  them,  with  head  uncovered,  you 
pass  into  this  grand  temple  of  nature. 

The  Mariposa  Grove,  about  four  miles  southeast  of  Clark's  Hotel, 
is  also  in  a  depression,  accessible  at  present  only  on  horseback  or  on 
foot.  The  grove  is  about  two  miles  square,  and  its  trees  are  more 
numerous,  less  lofty,  but  larger,  than  those  of  the  Calaveras  Grove. 
Many  have  names  prominently  affixed  to  them,  taken  chiefly  from 
Americans  famous  in  politics,  science,  literature,  and  especially 
poetry.  Almost  all  are  burned  at  the  base,  probably  accidentally, 
by  the  Indians,  and  many  have  large  cavities  thus  made  in  their 
standing  trunks,  through  which  you  ride  on  horseback,  and  in  which 
a  large  party  could  be  protected  from  a  storm.  Many  little  trees 
4 


j;o  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    rOSEMITE    VALLEY, 

are  growing  all  around,  from  two  to  one  hundred  feet  high,  aud 
there  seems  no  immediate  danger  of  the  species  becoming  extinct, 
especially  as  the  groves  are  guarded  and  protected  with  the  most 
jealous  care  by  Mr.  Galen  Clark,  the  State  Guardian.  The  first 
branches  are  given  off  at  so  great  a  height  that  it  is  difficult  to 
obtain  fresh  specimens  of  the  foliage ;  the  cones  are  not  more  than 
two  inches  long,  while  those  of  the  sugar  pine,  a  large,  but  much 
smaller  tree,  are  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  in  length ;  the  seeds  are 
very  small  aud  light,  and  germinate  readily  in  the  East,  and  in  North 
ern  Europe ;  many  are  growing  in  this  city  and  vicinity  from  seeds 
obtained  and  distributed  by  me  last  year ;  they  grow  with  consider 
able  rapidity,  even  two  feet  in  a  year,  and  form  beautiful  and  inter 
esting  parlor  ornaments.  The  foliage  is  somowhat  like  that  of  the 
arbor-vitae ;  the  bark  smooth,  porous,  light,  and  cinnamon-colored ; 
the  wood  red,  as  in  redwood,  light,  spongy,  and  of  not  much  use  in 
carpentry.  The  largest  tree  in  this  grove  is  the  "  Grizzly  Giant," 
ninety-three  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base,  familiar  to  many  by 
excellent  .stereoscopic  views ;  the  top  is  broken  off,  and  it  is  evidently 
very  old  and  declining. 


THB  COKE,  AND  FOLIAGE  OF  THE  MAMMOTH  TREES — FtTU.  SIZE. 

There  are  several  other  smaller  groves,  not  generally  visited  by 
travellers.     The  species,  therefore,  can  hardly  be  called  a  rare  one,  nor 


GRIZZLY  GIANT. 

(Circum.  101  feet.)  Mariposa  Grove. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


can  it  be  said  to  be  dying  out.  Though  less  high  by  one  hundred 
feet  than  some  Australian  trees,  and  less  in  diameter  than  the  Afri 
can  Adansonia,  yet,  taken  altogether,  it  must  be  regarded  as  the 
grandest  type  of  the  vegetable  world. 

The  white  or  bastard  cedar  (Libocedrus')  resembles  the  big  trees 
very  much  in  its  bark,  and  general  appearance  of  the  trunk ;  but  the 
wood  is  white,  and  highly  aromatic.  Beside  the  large  pitch  or  yellow 
pine  (P.  ponderosa),  which  here  attains  a  very  large  size,  the  travel 
ler  will  chiefly  admire  the  sugar  pine  (P.  Lambertiana) ,  which  grows 
to  the  height  of  three  hundred  feet,  with  a  diameter  of  ten  or  twelve  ; 
this  receives  its  name  from  a  white  manna-like  exudation  from  the  bark, 
whose  sweet  taste  may  tempt  one  to  partake  of  it  freely,  to  the  great 
and  painful  disturbance  of  the  abdominal  contents,  as  it  is  a  powerful 
purgative;  the  cones,  of  great  size,  hang  like  sugar-loaves  from  the 
branches.  The  traveller  by  the  Mariposa  route  is  generally  taken 
to  a  large  pine  of  this  species,  called  the  "  Hermit's  Cave,"  where  an 
eccentric  person  passed  a  large  part  of  the  year ;  there  was  in  its 
base,  hollowed  by  fire,  room  enough  for  a  bed  of  leaves,  fire-place, 
and  closets ;  the  smoke  of  his  fire  ascended  through  a  long  chimney 
in  the  centre,  the  result  of  the  natural  decay  of  the  tree.  The  dead 
branches  of  the  pines  are  covered  with  beautiful  bright  yellow  mosses 
and  lichens,  and  the  oaks  in  the  valleys  near  the  sea-level  are  fes 
tooned  with  long  folds  of  grayish  moss,  which,  swinging  in  the  wind, 
give  a  funereal  aspect  much  like  that  produced  by  a  similar  growth  in 
the  cypress  swamps  of  the  South.  The  dead  and  dying  oaks  display 
large  mistletoes,  three  or  four  feet  high,  whose  bright  green  forms  a 
singular  contrast  to  the  ashy  hue  of  the  limbs  at  whose  expense  the 
parasite  grows.  One  other  characteristic  tree  deserves  mention  — 
the  nut-pine  (P.  fidulis) ,  the  seeds  of  which  are  largely  eaten  by  the 
Indians ;  the  wood  of  this  tree  is  in  great  request  for  all  kinds  of 
structures  under  water;  the  wood  is  -extremely  crooked,  and  apt  to 
warp  in  the  air  to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  jocularly  said  that  a  "  stick 
will  crawl  over  a  ten-acre  lot  in  twenty-four  hours." 


THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 


INDIAN  TRIBES. 

THE  Shoshones,  Utes,  and  Pah-Utes  are  the  principal  Indian  tribes 
seen  along  the  railroad  from  Salt  Lake  to  Stockton.  In  the  Yo- 
semite  Valley  there  are  the  "  Diggers,"  so  called  because,  in  times  of 
scarcity,  they  subsist  on  acorns,  roots,  and  insects  and  their  grubs, 
dug  from  the  earth.  Though  low  in  the  scale  of  man,  they  are  not 
the  abject  creatures  generally  represented;  they  are  mild,  harmless, 
and  singularly  honest.  Of  their  honesty  you  can  have  no  doubt  when 
you  see  in  the  woods  and  valleys  little  storehouses,  raised  above  in 
undations,  and  made  of  bushes,  grasses,  and  stakes,  in  which  their 
acorns  and  nuts  are  stored  for  the  winter ;  they  always  respect  each 
other's  property  thus  arranged,  but  these  repositories  have  often  been 
broken  into  and  robbed  by  mischievous  and  unscrupulous  whites.  As 
usual  with  the  American  aborigines,  they  are  more  sinned  against 
than  sinning.  They  are  very  dark-colored,  fond  of  gaudy  beads  and 
colors,  and  expert  hunters  and  fishermen  ;  they  will  catch  a  string  of 
trout  where  the  Eastern  angler,  with  his  flies  and  costly  outfit,  can 
not  get  a  bite.  They  are  addicted  to  intemperance,  when  they  can 
get  fire-water ;  but  for  this,  and  the  consequent  poverty,  misery, 
and  disease,  the  whites  are  accountable. 

While  we  were  in  the  Valley,  there  was  a  grand  pow-wow  one 
night  over  the  chief,  who  was  supposed  to  be  dying ;  all  sorts  of 
howlings  and  incantations  were  practised  by  his  women ;  but  the 
smell  of  his  breath,  his  sudden  revival  at  the  mention  of  whiskey, 
and  the  fact  that  he  was  out  'fishing  all  next  day,  were  sufficient 
proofs  that  it  was  only  a  fit  of  delirium  tremens. 

Near  Clark's  hotel  is  an  Indian  sweat-house,  which  is  an  object 
of  curiosity  to  travellers.  It  consists  of  an  oval  depression  in  the 
ground,  about  eight  feet  long  and  two  feet  deep ;  over  this  is  a 
heavily-thatched  dome-shaped  roof,  plastered  with  mud  and  leaves  ; 
on  the  mud  floor  is  placed  a  circle  of  rpunded  stones,  enclosing  a  bed 
of  twigs  and  leaves ;  a  fire  is  made  around  the  stones,  upon  which, 
when  highly  heated,  water  is  poured,  at  the  same  time  extinguishing 
the  fire,  but  raising  an  abundance  of  very  hot  steam ;  the  patient, 
naked,  then  lies  down  upon  the  inner  bed  of  leaves,  and  the  entrance 
is  nearly  closed ;  after  sweating  sufficiently,  he  rushes  out  and 
plunges  into  a  branch  of  the  Merced  River  near  by  —  a  primitive  but 
effectual  Russian  bath. 

They  possess  the  art  of  making  baskets  of  straw  which  will  hold 
water,  and  they  make  a  very  ingenious  straw  box  for  keeping  their 
worm  bait  alive  ;  burying  it  in  the  earth,  yet  not  allowing  the  w.orms 
to  escape.  The  women  are  perfectly  hideous,  as  usual  doing  all  the 
drudgery,  while  the  men  hunt,  fish,  drink*  and  smoke.  One  fine  fel 
low  at  Mr.  Clark's  had  charge  of  the  train  horses ;  he  was  good- 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


53 


natured,  strong,  industrious,  a  fine  rider,  and  skilled  in  all  wood- 
^raft. 

It  is  averred  by  sundry  persons  not  far  from  Cape  Cod,  that  a 
baked  skunk  is  a  great  luxury,  and  that,  if  properly  killed  and 
dressed,  the  flesh  is  not  tainted  with  the  well-known  perfume  of  this 
animal.  The  Diggers  are  of  the  same  opinion,  and  this  dish  with 
them  corresponds  to  roast  turkey  with  us.  The  following  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  animal  is  captured  by  them  is  taken  from 
a  Western  paper,  and  was  written  by  an  alleged  eye-witness : 

"  On  my  journey  hither,  I  observed  two  Digger  Indians  in  a  ravine, 
a  little  distance  above  the  road,  slowly  and  cautiously  approaching 
each  other,  with  their  eyes  intently  fastened  on  some  animal  which  a 
second  glance  discovered  to  be  a  well-developed  specimen  of  the  skunk. 
The  Indian  who  was  behind  it  held  out  his  hand,  and  moved  it 
slowly  round  in  a  circle,  and  this  seemed  to  distract  the  attention  of 
the  animal,  for  he  followed  the  motion  closely  with  his  eyes,  and, 
though  he  elevated  his  tail  several  times,  as  if  about  to  fire,  he  never 
executed  his  threat.  Slowly,  slowly  they  approached,  the  other  at 
tracted  its  attention,  and  the  auspicious  moment  arrived.  In  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye,  the  Indian  behind  dashed  upon  it,  snatched  it 
up  by  the  extremity  of  its  uplifted  tail,  and  held  it  high  aloft  at  arm's 
length.  Then  the  other  Indian  ran  up,  flattened  out  his  hand,  and 
struck  it  on  the  back  of  the  neck  as  he  would  have  done  with  a  knife, 
breaking  that  organ  thereby,  and  the  thing  was  accomplished.  The 
animal  seemed  to  feel  itself  so  iguomiiiiously  disgraced  and  outraged, 
and  all  the  proprieties  and  amenities  of  civilized  warfare  so  utterly  disre 
garded,  in  being  hoisted  by  the  tip  of  the  tail,  that  it  abandoned  its 
usual  means  of  defence  in  disgust.  The  consequence  was  that  the 
entire  operation  was  accomplished  without  the  diffusion  of  the  usual 
odor,  which  appears  to  be  the  main  point  in  the  killing." 

The  Mongolian  origin  of  the  American  Indian  has  generally  been 
accepted  by  closet  ethnologists ;  but  any  one  who  takes  this  Califor 
nia  trip  will  be  likely  to  have  this  opinion,  if  he  entertain  it,  shaken. 
Here  you  see  the  Indian  and  the  Chinese  side  by  side  :  except  in  the 
general  contour  of  the  face  and  the  straight  black  hair,  there  is  hardly 
any  resemblance  in  physical  character,  and  their  mental  character 
istics  are  entirely  opposite.  The  Diggers,  and  other  California  In 
dians,  are  supposed  by  some  to  have  come  from  the  west  by  sea, 
from  the  Japanese  or  Malayan  Islands,  instead  of  from  the  north 
east,  by  way  of  Greenland,  like  the  Esquimaux.  Whatever  their 
origin,  they  are  fast  disappearing,  as  they  cannot  adopt  the  civiliza 
tion  of  the  white  race ;  scorning  agriculture  and  manual  labor,  they 
are  truly  in  the  hunter  state,  and  in  their  Stone  Age,  beyond  which 
they  will  never  progress. 


54  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLEY, 


SAN  FRANCISCO  AND  VICINITY. 

IN  and  near  the  city  of  San  Francisco,  the  traveller  will  find  many 
fine  scenes  amid  the  Coast  Range,  even  though  fresh  from  the 
grandeur  of  the  Yosemite  and  the  higher  Sierra.  Within  the  city 
limits,  by  ascending  Telegraph  or  Russian  Hill  on  a  clear  day,  you 
have  before  yon  a  magnificent  panorama  ;  the  splendid  bay,  dotted  by 
sailing  vessels  and  steamers  from  every  clime,  extending  out  to  the  vast 
Pacific  through  the  Golden  Gate  —  golden  in  the  hues  of  an  autumnal 
sun,  and  golden  in  the  untold  treasures  to  which  it  has  aiforded  a  path 
way —  the  surrounding  mountains,  coming  down  to  the  sea,  with  their 
beautiful  contrasts  of  reddish  rock  and  green  slopes,  and  their  pictur 
esque  canons  rich  in  the  trees  characteristic  of  California  —  Alcatraz 
Island,  with  its  fortifications,  the  more  distant  and  lofty  Angel  Island 
—  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  bay,  the  flourishing  town  of  Oakland, 
noted  for  its  University,  and  its  connected  villages,  with  the  Contra 
Costa  Range  in  the  background,  surmounted,  though  at  a  consider 
able  distance,  by  Monte  Diablo ;  to  the  south,  from  a  neighboring 
hill,  one  may  look  into  the  San  Jose  Valley,  famous  for  its  mines  of 
quicksilver ;  and  many  other  objects  crowd  into  the  view,  which  the 
eyes  must  ever  delight  to  look  upon. 

Monte  Diablo,  about  3,850  feet  high,  is  very  conspicuous,  being 
quite  isolated  on  the  north,  and  its  doubly-conical  summit  very  grace 
ful  ;  it  is  distant  from  the  city  twenty-eight  miles  in  a  N.  N.  E.  direc 
tion.  The  ascent  is  made  from  Clayton,  which  may  be  reached  by 
land  or  by  water ;  the  distance  to  the  top  is  only  six  miles,  and  may 
be  easily  made,  and  back,  on  foot  or  on  horseback,  in  a  day.  The  view 
from  the  summit  is  probably  unsurpassed  in  extent,  owing  to  the  dis 
position  of  the  mountains,  and  its  position  in  the  centre  of  a  great 
elliptic  basin.  According  to  the  geological  survey  of  California,  "  the 
eye  has  full  sweep  over  the  slopes  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  to  its  crest, 
from  Lassen's  Peak  on  the  north  to  Mt.  Whitney  on  the  south,  a  dis 
tance  of  fully  325  miles.  It  is  only  in  the  clearest  weather  that  the 
details  of  the  '  Snowy  Range '  can  be  made  out ;  but  the  nearer  masses 
of  the  Coast  Ranges,  with  their  innumerable  waves  of  mountains  and 
wavelets  of  spurs,  are  visible  from  Mt.  Hamilton  (15  miles  east  of 
San  Jose)  and  Mt.  Oso  on  the  south,  to  Mt.  Helena  on  the  north. 
The  great  interior  valley  of  California  —  the  plains  of  the  Sacramento 
and  San  Joaquin — are  spread  out  under  the  observer's  feet  like  a 
map,  and  they  seem  illimitable  in  extent.  The  whole  area  thus  em 
braced  within  the  field  of  vision,  as  limited  by  the  extreme  points  in 
the  distance,  is  little  less  than  40,000  square  miles,  or  almost  as  large 
as  the  whole  State  of  New  York."  Extensive  mines  of  bituminous 
coal  have  been  opened  here,  and  yield  a  large  supply  for  the  city. 

The  report  continues :  "  What  gives  its  peculiar  character  to  the 
Coast  Range  scenery,  is  the  delicate  and  beautiful  carving  of  their 


FORT  POINT  AND  GOLDEN  GATE, 
San  Francisco. 


ANL     OF  CALIFORNIA.  55 

masses  by  the  aqueous  erosion  of  the  soft  material  of  which  they  are 
composed,  and  which  is  made  conspicuous  by  the  general  absence  of 
forest  and  shrubby  vegetation,  except  in  the  canons,  and  along  the 
crests  of  the  ranges.  The  bareness  of  the  slopes  gives  full  play  to 
the  effects  of  light  and  shade  caused  by  the  varying  and  intricate  con 
tour  of  the  surface.  In  the  early  spring,  these  slopes  are  of  the  most 
vivid  green  —  the  awakening  to  life  of  the  vegetation  of  this  region 
beginning  just  when  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  Eastern  States  are 
most  deeply  covered  by  snow.  Spring  here,  in  fact,  commences  with 
the  end  of  summer ;  winter,  there  is  none.  Summer,  blazing  sum 
mer,  tempered  by  the  ocean  fogs  and  ocean  breezes,  is  followed  by  a 
long  and  delightful  six  months'  spring,  which,  in  its  turn,  passes  al 
most  instantaneously  away  at  the  approach  of  another  summer.  As 
soon  as  the  dry  season  sets  in,  the  herbage  withers  under  the  sun's 
rays,  except  in  the  deep  canons ;  the  surface  becomes  first  of  a  pale 
green,  then  of  a  light  straw  yellow,  and  finally  of  a  rich  russet-brown 
color,  against  which  the  dark-green  foliage  of  the  oaks  and  pines,  un 
changing  during  the  summer,  is  deeply  contrasted." 

Among  the  many  points  of  interest  in  the  Coast  Ranges,  easily  ac- 
cessiblefrom  San  Francisco,  are  Clear,  and  Borax  Lakes, about  65  miles 
N.  W.  from  Suisun  Bay,  and  36  miles  from  the  coast.  Borax  Lake 
is  a  depression  on  the  east  side  of  the  narrow  arm  of  Clear  Lake, 
from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  low  ridge  of  loose  volcanic  materials, 
consisting  of  scoria,  obsidian  and  pumice.  It  varies  in  size  according 
to  the  time  of  the  year,  and  the  comparative  dry  ness  of  the  season. 
In  September,  in  ordinary  seasons,  the  water  occupies  an  area  about 
4,000  feet  long  and  1,800  feet  wide  in  the  widest  part,  irregularly  oval, 
its  longest  axis  being  about  east  and  west,  with  an  average  depth  of  3 
feet;  it  has  been  known  to  extend  over  twice  this  area,  and  has  boon 
at  times  entirely  dry.  The  water  from  the  lake  contains  about  2,400 
grains  of  solid  matter  to  the  gallon,  of  which  about  one-fourth  is 
borax.  The  borax,  being  the  least  soluble  substance  contained  in  the 
water,  has,  in  course  of  time,  crystallized  out  to  a  considerable  extent, 
and  now  exists  in  the  bottom  of  the  lake  in  the  form  of  distinct  crys 
tals  of  all  sizes,  from  microscopic  dimensions  up  to  two  or  three  inches 
in  diameter.  These  crystals  form  a  hiyer  immediately  under  the 
water,  mixed  with  blue  mud  of  varying  thickness.  It  is  believed  by 
those  who  have  examined  the  bottom  of  this  lake  that  several  million 
pounds  of  borax  may  be  obtained  from  it  by  means  of  movable  coffer 
dams  at  a  moderate  expense.  According  to  the  San  Francisco  papers, 
during  the  year  1865  this  lake  supplied  the  local  demand  for  borax  to 
the  amount  of  40  tons,  and  yielded  200  tons  additional  for  shipment 
to  New  York.  It  is  collected  from  the  mud  at  the  bottom  of  the  lake 
during  the  dry  season,  at  the  rate  of  about  2£  tons  per  day.  The 
crude  borax,  thus  obtained,  is  so  pure,  that  the  mint  and  assayers  of 
the  city  use  it  in  preference  to  the  refined  article  brought  from  abroad. 

In  regard  to  the  minerals  of  California,  Prof.  Whitney  has  reported 
that  of  the  65  elementary  substances  found  in  nature,  so  far  as  known 
to  chemists,  there  are  not  40  which  have  yet  been  proved  to  occur  in 
California  in  mineral  combination,  and  more  than  20  elements  are 


,j6  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YOSEMITE    VALLET, 

wanting  on  the  Pacitio  coast.  Of  these  a  few  are  extremely  rare,  but 
the  absence  of  some  is  surprising;  fluorine,  a  substance  of  very  gen 
eral  distribution  in  its  abundant  source,  fluor  spar,  seems  to  be  want 
ing  in  California,  unless  it  exist  in  some  of  the  micas.  Taking  the 
whole  Pacific  coast,  from  Alaska  to  Chili,  the  following  facts  appear : 
The  small  number  of  species,  considering  the  extent  of  region  as  com 
pared  with  other  parts  of  the  world  ;  the  remarkable  absence  of  prom 
inent  silicates,  especially  the  zeolites  ;  the  wide  spread  of  the  precious 
metals  ;  the  abundance  of  copper  ores,  and  comparative  absence  of  tin 
and  lead  ;  the  similarity  in  the  mineralized  condition  of  the  silver  ;  the 
absence  of  fluor  spar  as  vein-stone ;  no  mineral  species  peculiar  to 
the  coast.  Black  oxide  of  manganese  has  recently  been  found  in  large 
quantities  in  a  mine  in  the  Coast  Kauge,  not  far  from  the  city  of  San 
Joaquin. 

The  quicksilver  mines  at  New  Almaden,  California,  are  in  one  of 
the  branch  valleys  of  the  San  Jose,  about  twelve  miles  from  the  town 
of  that  name,  and  about  sixty  miles  south  of  San  Francisco.  The  ore 
is  a  sulphuret  of  mercury,  and  is  found  irregularly  disseminated 
among  beds  of  clay,  slates  and  silicious  strata,  supposed  to  belong  to 
the  Silurian  age ;  though  rich  specimens  will  yield  sixty-seven  per 
cent,  of  mercury,  the  average  is  about  thirty  per  cent.  The  Indians 
had  for  a  long  time  used  this  cinnabar  as  a  pigment,  and  had  exca 
vated  fifty  or  sixty  feet  into  the  mountain  in  search  of  it ;  in  1824  the 
Spaniards  attempted  to  work  the  ore  for  silver,  and  afterward,  in 
connection  with  the  Mexicans  and  English,  worked  it  successfully  for 
quicksilver,  the  annual  product  being  estimated  at  a  million  dollars. 
In  1858  the  United  States  took  possession,  and  the  present  workings 
are  entered  by  an  adit  two  hundred  feet  below  the  old  excavations, 
extending  about  1,500  feet  into  the  hill;  side  galleries  extend  from 
this  in  the  line  of  the  deposit.  This  is  a  very  interesting  place  to 
visit,  and  you  may  be  rapidly  carried,  doubled  up  in  a  box,  along  a 
tramway  very  far  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth  ;  the  pitchy  darkness, 
abominable  smells  and  noises,  and  rapid  rate  at  which  you  are  whirled 
through  passages,  where  a  projecting  elbow  or  head  would  be  attended 
with  dangerous  consequences,  give  a  sufficiently  vivid  practical  illus 
tration  of  some  parts  of  Dante's  Inferno.  The  simplicity  and  effect 
iveness  of  the  smelting  operations,  by  which  the  volatilized  mercury 
is  arrested,  will  excite  the  admiration  of  the  visitor.  Though  the 
atmosphere  of  the  mines  is  not  unusually  unwholesone,  the  men  and 
the  animals  employed  about  the  smelting  works  are  subject  to  saliva 
tion,  skin  diseases,  and  the  other  attendants  of  mercurial  poisoning. 
Other  productive  mines  are  also  worked  in  this  neighborhood.  The 
product  of  California  in  quicksilver  is  annually  more  than  two  million 
pounds,  against  three  and  a  half  million  at  Almaden,  in  Spain,  and 
one  million  at  Idria,  in  Austria ;  most  of  the  American  quicksilver  is 
carried  to  China. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


57 


MINERAL   SPRINGS   AND   GEYSERS. 

NO  one  should  leave  California  without  visiting  the  mineral  springs 
of  Calistoga,  and  the  Geysers.  Calistoga  is  about  sixty-four  miles 
from  San  Francisco,  by  steamer  twenty-four  miles  to  Vallejo,  thence 
by  Napa  Valley  Railroad  about  forty  more,  via  Napa,  to  the  mineral 
springs,  the  most  celebrated  on  the  Pacific  coast.  The  chief  med 
icinal  constituents  are  iron,  magnesia,  and  sulphur,  the  temperature 
varying  from  boiling  hot  to  icy  cold.  The  vapor  baths  envelop  the 
body  like  a  hot  robe,  hence  the  name.  The  situation  is  one  of  the 
most  charming  in  this  delightful  valley,  and  is  appreciated  by  crowds 
of  summer  visitors,  the  greater  part  of  whom  pass  onward  to  the 
"Geysers,"  twenty-two  miles  farther.  The  mildness  of  the  climate 
renders  it  especially  suitable  for  the  culture  of  fruit,  and  some  of  the 
finest  vineyards  in  this  vicinity  are  in  Napa  Valley.  It  is  essentially 
an  agricultural  community,  and  though  there  is  a  very  extensive  dis 
tillery  for  the  manufacture  of  brandy,  from  the  pure  juice  of  the 
grape,  in  Calistoga,  it  is  said  that  there  is  neither  a  policeman,  doctor, 
or  lawyer  a  permanent  resident  of  the  place.  The  fishing  is  fine,  and 
in  the  surrounding  woods  may  be  found  a  great  variety  of  game,  from 
the  plumed  quail  to  the  huge  grizzly.  This  favorite  resort  for  health 
and  pleasure  is  within  three  and  a  half  hours  of  San  Francisco,  and 
may  be  reached  twice  daily. 

About  five  miles  from  these  springs,  on  a  small  elevation,  is  a  pet 
rified  forest.  All  along  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  in  the  Sierrra 
Nevada  section,  the  traveller  sees  at  the  stations  specimens,  some 
very  large  and  beautiful,  of  agatized,  or  silicified,  or  petrified  wood  ; 
but  here  we  find  a  forest,  not  buried  in  the  ground,  but  exposed  to 
view  on  the  surface,  though  they  are  also  met  with  at  various  depths 
in  the  soil.  Within  a  radius  of  a  mile  are  more  than  thirty  of  these 
fossil  trees,  the  largest  being  twenty  feet  long  and  six  feet  in  circum 
ference ;  this  trunk  is  prostrate,  the  roots  being  still  below  the  sur 
face,  and  is  broken  squarely  across,  and  into  several  pieces,  evidently 
silicified  before  it  fell,  the  soil  once  surrounding  it  having  been  re 
moved,  probably  by  denudation  from  geological  causes,  and  at  a 
remote  epoch :  the  hill  upon  which  they  are  found  is  almost  solid 
rock,  conclusively  showing  the  action  of  powerful  denuding  agencies. 
The  wood  is  so  hard  that  it  will  scratch  glass,  and  in  it  are  occasion 
ally  seen  beautiful  opaline  spots.  I  do  not  know  that  the  kind  of 
tree  has  been  accurately  determined,  though  it  is  probably  of  some 
hard  wood  found  now  in  this  region.  I  have  heard  of  other  localities, 
near  the  line  of  railroad,  both  in  California  and  Nevada,  where  sim 
ilar  petrified  trees  have  been  noticed. 

The  ''  Geysers "  are  in  Sonoma  County,  twenty-two  miles  from 
Calistoga,  by  stage  through  NapaValley,  and  about  nine  hours'  travel 
from  San  Francisco.  They  merit  a  visit  not  only  for  their  medicinal 


58  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO^EMITE    VALLET, 

properties,  equal  to  those  of  Saratoga  or  Baden-Baden,  but  for  their 
curious  phenomena  among  the  wildest  and  most  picturesque  scenery 
of  the  Coast  Range.  Along  their  course  runs  the  Pluton  or  Sulphur 
Creek,  stocked  with  fine  trout,  though  in  immediate  proximity  to 
troubled  and  diabolical  looking  waters.  The  waters  found  in  the 
Geyser  Canon  are  alkaline,  sulphurous,  or  acid,  forming  efficacious 
remedies  for  various  cutaneous,  rheumatic,  and  chronic  diseases ; 
some  are  icy  cold,  others  boiling  hot. 

From  Lieut.  Davidson's  account,  the  reader  may  form  a  good  idea 
of  the  qualities  of  these  waters.  About  seventy-five  feet  below  the 
hotel,  is  the  first  spring  of  iron,  sulphur  and  soda,  with  a  temperature 
of  seventy-three  degrees  Fahr. ;  going  up  the  Geyser  gulch  you  come 
to  the  tepid  alum  and  iron  spring,  with  a  temperature  of  ninety-seven 
degrees,  forming,  in  the  course  of  twelve  hours,  a  heavy  iridescent 
incrustation  of  iron;  within  twenty  feet  of  this  is  a  spring  of  a  tem 
perature  of  eighty-eight  degrees,  containing  ammonia,  Epsom  salts, 
magnesia,  sulphur,  and  iron,  yielding  crystals  of  Epsom  salt  two 
inches  long;  higher  up  is  a  boiling  spring  of  alum  and  sulphur,  with 
a  heat  of  156  degrees,  and  near  it,  also,  a  hot  black  sulphur  spring. 

The  following  paragraphs  are  taken  from  Lieut.  Davidson's  account 
of  these  Geysers. 

"As  we  wander  over  rock,  heated  ground,  and  thick  deposits  of 
sulphur,  salts,  ammonia,  tartaric  acid,  magnesia,  etc.,  we  try  our 
thermometer  in  the  Geyser  stream,  a  combination  of  every  kind  of 
medicated  water,  and  find  it  rises  up  to  102  degress.  The  '  Witches' 
Cauldron '  is  over  seven  feet  in  diameter,  of  unknown  depth.  The 
contents  are  thrown  up  about  two  or  three  feet  high,  in  a  state  of 
great  ebullition,  semi-liquid,  blacker  than  ink,  and  contrasting  with 
the  volumes  of  vapor  arising  from  it ;  temperature,  195  degrees. 
Opposite  is  a  boiling  alum  spring,  very  strongly  impregnated ;  tem 
perature,  176  degrees.  Within  twelve  feet  is  an  intermittent  scald 
ing  spring,  from  which  issue  streams  and  jets  of  boiling  water.  We 
have  seen  them  ejected  over  fifteen  feet.  But  the  glory  of  all  is  the 
'  Steamboat  Geyser,'  resounding  like  a  high-pressure  seven-boiler  boat 
blowing  off  steam,  so  heated  as  to  be  invisible  until  it  is  six  feet  from 
the  mouth.  Just  above  this  the  gulch  divides  ;  up  the  left  or  western 
one  are  many  hot  springs,  but  the  '  Scalding  Steam  Iron  Bath'  is  the 
most  important ;  temperature,  183  degrees.  One  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  above  all  apparent  action  we  found  a  smooth,  tenacious,  plastic, 
beautiful  clay  ;  temperature  167  degrees.  From  this  point  you  stand 
and  overlook  the  ceaseless  action,  the  roar,  steam,  groans,  and  bub 
bling  of  a  hundred  boiling  medicated  springs,  while  the  steam  ascends 
one  hundred  feet  above  them  all.  Following  the  usually-travelled 
path,  we  pass  over  the  'Mountain  of  Fire,'  with  its  hundred  orifices, 
thence  through  the  '  Alkali  Lake  ' :  then  we  pass  cauldrons  of  black, 
sulphurous,  boiling  water,  some  moving  and  spluttering  with  violent 
ebullition.  One  white  sulphur  spring  we  found  quite  clear,  and  up  to 
the  boiling  point. 

"'On  every  foot  of  ground  we  had  trodden  the  crystalline  products 
of  this   unceasing  chemical  action  abounded.     Alum,  magnesia,  tar- 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


59 


taric  acid,  Epsom  salts,  ammonia,  nitre,  iron,  and  sulphur  abounded. 
At  thousands  of  orifices  you  find  hot,  scalding  steam  escaping,  and 
forming  beautiful  deposits  of  arrowy  sulphur  crystals.  Our  next 
visit  carried  us  up  the  Plutou,  on  the  north  bank,  past  the  'Ovens/ 
hot  with  escaping  steam,  to  the  '  Eye- Water  Boiling  Spring,'  cel 
ebrated  for  its  remedial  effects  upon  inflamed  and  weak  eyes.  Quite 
close  to  it  is  a  very  concentrated  alum  spring ;  temperature,  73  de 
grees.  Higher  up  is  a  sweetish  'Iron  and  Soda  Spring,'  fifteen  feet 
by  eight ;  and  twelve  feet  above  is  the  '  Cold  Soda  and  Iron  Springs,' 
incrusted  with  iron,  with  a  deposit  of  soda ;  strong,  tonic,  and  invit 
ing  ;  temperature,  56  degrees.  It  is  twelve  feet  by  five,  and  affords  a 
large  supply.  The  Pluton,  in  the  shade,  was  sixty-one  degrees,  with 
many  fine  pools  for  bathing,  and  above  for  trout-fishing. 

rt  The  'Indian  Springs  '  arc  nearly  a  mile  down  the  canon.  The 
boiling  water  comes  out  clear  as  ice.  This  is  the  old  medicated 
spring,  where  many  a  poor  aborigine  has  been  carried  over  the  moun 
tains  to  have  the  disease  driven  out  of  him  by  these  powerful  waters. 
On  its  outer  wall  runs  a  cold  stream  of  pure  water ;  temperature, 
66  degrees ;  and  another  water  impregnated  with  iron  and  alum ;  tem 
perature,  68  degrees.  It  is  beautifully  and  romantically  situated. 

"  We  have  not  mentioned  a  tithe  of  those  you  pass  at  every  step  in 
your  explorations  —  nor  one  day  nor  one  Aveek  will  reveal  them  all  to 
the  inquirer.  Do  not  suppose  that  desolation,  fire,  and  brimstone 
reign  supreme  —  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  place  is  that  grass,  shrubs, 
and  huge  trees  should  grow  on  its  very  edge,  and  even  overhang,  in 
many  places,  the  seething  cauldrons  below.  The  most  varied  wood 
abounds  around  you  —  oaks,  pines,  sycamore,  willow,  alder,  laurel, 
and  mad  rone." 

Bayard  Taylor,  describing  his  visit  to  the  Geysers,  says :  "  The 
scenery  is  finer  than  that  of  the  lower  Alps,  a,nd  the  place  is  a  mine 
of  future  wealth,  and  of  thorough  rejuvenation."  Of  the  Witches' 
Cauldron  he  writes  :  "  A  horrible  mouth  yawns  in  the  black  rock, 
belching  forth  tremendous  volumes  of  sulphurous  vapor.  Approach 
ing  as  near  as  we  dare,  and  looking  in,  we  see  the  black  waters  boil 
ing  in  mad,  pitiless  fury,  foaming  around  the  sides  of  their  prison. 
Its  temperature,  as  approximately  ascertained  by  Lieut.  Davidson,  is 
about  fivo  hundred  degrees.  An  egg,  dipped  in  and  taken  out,  is 
boiled;  and  were  a  man  to  fall  in,  he  would  be  reduced  to  broth  in 
two  minutes.  From  a  hundred  vent-holes,  about  fifty  feet  above  our 
heads,  the  steam  rushes  in  terrible  jets.  I  have  never  beheld  any 
scene  so  entirely  infernal  in  its  appearance.  These  tremendous 
steam-escapes  are  the  most  striking  feature  of  the  place.  The  wild, 
lonely  grandeur  of  the  valley,  the  contrast  of  its  Eden  slopes  of  turf 
and  forest,  with  those  ravines  of  Tartarus,  charmed  me  completely, 
and  I  would  willingly  have  passed  weeks  in  exploring  its  recesses. 

"  A  pure  alum  spring,  reminding  me  of  the  rock-alum  spring  in 
Virginia,  is  a  great  resort  for  dyspeptics.  In  fact,  the  properties  of 
all  the  famous  watering-places  seem  to  be  here  combined,  and  invite 
the  sick  to  come  and  be  healed." 

Among  the  features  of  this  region  are  the  hills  of  crude  sulphur  for 


60  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE   VALLEY, 

chemical  manufactures,  as  gunpowder,  sulphuric  acid,  etc.,  of  which 
it  is  said  half  a  million  tons  are  annually  consumed.  The  climate  is 
unsurpassed  for  its  salubrity.  The  Geysers  may  also  be  reached  by 
steamer  to  Petalutna,  thence  by  stages  in  ten  or  eleven  hours ;  this 
route  leads  through  Russian  River  Valley,  and  though  longer  and 
more  fatiguing  than  the  other,  is  very  pleasant ;  it  is  well  to  go  by 
Vallejo  and  return  by  Petaluma. 

The  religious  spirit  of  the  old  Spanish  Jesuits  is  perpetuated  in  the 
names  of  saints  and  of  holy  things  given  to  many  prominent  places ; 
such  are  San  Francisco,  San  Jose,  San  Mateo,  San  Pablo,  San  Diego, 
San  Joaquin,  San  Bernardino,  San  Antonio,  San  Quentin,  Santa  Bar 
bara,  Santa  Clara,  Santa  Cruz,  Sacramento,  Los  Angelos,  etc.  As 
these  priests  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  beautiful  in  nature,  they  selected 
for  their  missions  the  most  delightful  sites,  which  now  afford  to  the 
traveller  some  of  the  most  charming  spots  in  California.  Prominent 
among  these  is  San  Jose,  well  called  "  the  Beautiful."  The  valley  is 
very  fertile,  and  the  climate  healthful ;  and  the  pueblo  of  San  Jose, 
with  the  mission  of  Santa  Clara,  a  few  miles  beyond,  grew  to  be  a 
very  thriving  place.  It  has  increased  rapidly  since  the  Americans 
took  possession,  and  is  now  celebrated  for  its  wealth  and  refinement, 
for  its  excellent  schools  and  fine  public  buildings.  Horse-cars  run  in 
the  principal  street  —  the  Alameda  —  which  is  flanked  on  each  side  by 
a  fine  row  of  willows,  planted  by  the  priests  more  than  seventy  years 
ago,  now  completely  overshadowing  the  road  to  Santa  Clara ;  three  rail 
roads  now  converge  to  this  place,  which  is  the  centre  of  a  large  man 
ufacturing  interest;  the  population  is  estimated  at  over  ten  thousand. 
Santa  Cruz,  accessible  by  stage  from  Santa  Clara,  opposite  Monterey, 
is  a  popular  resort  for  excursionists,  and  is  noted  for  its  delightful 
climate. 

California  boasts,  among  other  big  things,  that  she  has  the  largest 
orchard  in  the  world.  An  English  gentleman  thus  describes  it.  He 
says  :  A  few  days  ago  it  was  my  good  fortune  and  pleasure  to  visit 
an  orchard  located  about  two  miles  south  of  Yuba  City,  in  Slitter 
County.  The  proprietor  is  the  owner  of  426  acres,  mostly  bottom 
land,  lying  along  the  west  bank  of  the  Feather  River.  The  soil  is 
a  rich,  sandy  loam,  and  composed  of  the  yearly  deposits  of  the  river 
many  years  ago.  No  better  or  richer  laud  is  to  be  found  in  the  State. 
Before  reaching  the  orchard  proper  we  rode  through  a  field  of  150 
acres  of  castor  beans,  growing  in  the  most  luxuriant  manner — which 
field  is  to  give  place  to  a  new  orchard  next  year,  the  fruit-trees  for 
the  same  at  present  growing  in  the  nursery  by  the  side  of  the  field 
of  castor  beans,  and  containing  25,000  one-year-old  budded  peach- 
trees,  13,000  plum-trees,  6,000  Eastern  walnuts,  25,000  California 
walnuts,  2,000  apple-trees,  500  Italian  chestnut-trees,  etc.  Pass 
ing  along  through  this  forest  of  young  trees,  we  arrived  at  the  present 
peach  orchard,  consisting  of  600  trees,  two  years  old,  and  some  of 
them  bearing,  this  season,  150  pounds  of  peaches.  These  trees  have 
made  a  remarkable  growth,  owing  to  the  rich  ground  upon  which  they 
are  planted,  and  in  another  year  will  make  a  tremendous  yield  of  fruit. 
We  next  rode  into  the  cherry  orchard,  containing  3,000  of  the  most 


CATHEDRAL  SPIRES. 

2400  feet  high. 


Q 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


thrifty  young  trees  ever  seen  on  any  ground,  The  different  varieties, 
fifteen  in  number,  gave  this  orchard  a  variety  of  aspect,  and  broke 
up  the  usual  monotony  of  the  steeple-like  formed  cherry  orchard. 
These  cherry-trees  were  all  imported  from  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  about 
three  years  ago.  Off  to  the  south  of  this  wonderful  wilderness  are 
2,000  plum-trees,  of  twelve  varieties,  and  500  apple-trees,  mostly 
winter  varieties.  Passing  the  peach  orchard  \ve  reached  the  apricots, 
2,000  in  number,  which  are  also  two  years  old,  and  have  borne  a  fail- 
crop  the  present  season.  This  is  really  a  California  wonder. 


THE    WONDERS   OF  THE  YOSEMITE   VALLEY, 


HOMEWARD  BOUND. 

THE  traveller,  having  visited  the  above  places  in  the  vicinity  of 
San  Francisco,  will  now  think  of  turning  his  face  eastward,  if  he 
return  overland,  and  of  examining  more  closely  some  of  the  interest 
ing  points  which  he  hurried  by  in  his  eagerness  to  behold  the  wonders 
of  the  Yosemite.  The  first  place  which  will  claim  his  attention  is 
Oakland,  so  called  from  its  beautiful  groves  of  oaks,  opposite  San 
Francisco,  and  fronting  the  Golden  Gate.  The  shallowncss  of  the 
water  in  the  bay  has  compelled  the  railroad  company  to  build  a  wharf 
about  two  miles  long  into  the  bay,  so  that  you  seem  to  be  going  out 
to  sea  in  a  railroad  car;  from  the  end  of  this  wharf  is  established  the 
ferry  to  San  Francisco,  being  the  terminus  of  the  Western  Pacific 
Railroad.  Sometimes  called  the  "Park  City,"  it  bears  somewhat  the 
same  relation  to  San  Francisco  that  Brooklyn  does  to  New  York ; 
it  is,  par  excellence,  the  educational  centre  of  California ;  besides  its 
numerous  public  and  private  schools  for  both  sexes,  being  the  site 
of  the  State  University.  The  drives  along  its  macadamized  streets, 
with  the  fine  view  of  the  bay  and  the  distant  Pacific,  and  the  beauti 
ful  gardens  on  every  side,  cannot  be  surpassed,  if  equalled,  in  any 
city  of  the  country. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  cities  which  the  Yosemite  tourist  is 
sure  to  visit  is  Stockton,  about  ninety  miles  from  San  Francisco  by 
railroad.  It  was  named  in  honor  of  Commodore  Stockton,  who  took 
an  active  part  in  the  conquest  of  California,  and  was  laid  out  by  Capt. 
Webber  in  1849-50 ;  it  is  also  at  the  head  of  navigation  on  the  San 
Joaquiu  River,  distant  by  water  127  miles  from  San  Francisco,  and 
accessible  by  large  steamers  and  sailing  vessels ;  the  river  is  navi 
gable  for  small  steamers  more  than  100  miles  farther  up.  It  is 
estimated  to  contain  about  12,000  inhabitants,  and  is  a  very  busy  and 
thriving  place.  The  public  and  private  buildings  and  stores,  many 
of  which  are  built  of  brick,  give  it  a  decidedly  Eastern  look.  Near 
the  Yosemite  hotel,  the  principal  one,  is  the  enclosure  which  contains 
the  State  Asylum  for  the  Insane.  The  country  around  Stockton  is  ex 
ceedingly  fertile,  and  its  agricultural  resources  are  inexhaustible  ;  its 
mining  facilities  are  also  important.  An  artesian  well,  1,000  feet  deep, 
supplies  the  chy  daily  with  360,000  gallons  of  water ;  though  the 
water  rises  eleven  feet  above  the  surface,  it  is  raised  by  steam  to  a  high 
reservoir,  whence  the  city  is  supplied.  It  is  in  the  centre  of  the  vast 
grain-producing  district  of  the  San  Joaquin  Valley ;  and  in  harvest 
time  the  roads  are  lined  with  the  mule-drawn  wagons  heavily  laden 
with  the  golden  produce,  which  has  been  estimated  at  $3,000,000 
annually.  The  soil  around  the  city  is  a  black  vegetable  mould,  called 
"adobe,"  soft  and  slippery  in  the  rainy  season,  hard  and  deeply 
cracked  in  the  summer ;  about  five  miles  beyond  this  begin  the  sandy 
plains  leading  to  the  foot  hills,  described  in  a  previous  chapter. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  63 

Stockton  is  well  called  the  "Windmill  City,"  as,  by  sinking  a  well- 
tube  ten  to  twenty  feet,  water  is  readily  obtained.  Hence  almost 
every  one  cultivates  the  rich  soil  as  a  garden,  watering  it  by  his  wind- 
pump,  which  takes  the  place  of  the  hand-pump  in  almost  every  yard. 
The  gardens  are  very  beautiful;  and,  such  is  the  mildness  of  the 
climate,  figs,  and  other  sub-tropical  plants,  flourish  and  ripen  in  the 
open  air.  This  is  the  centre  of  the  stage  lines  for  the  Yosemite  Valley, 
and  both  the  starting  and  return  point  for  most  travellers  bound  for  that 
region.  In  the  summer  season,  when  the  water  is  low,  the  sloughs 
which  penetrate  the  city  in  various  directions  have  a  green,  stagnant, 
and  most  unwholesome  look  ;  they  receive  much  of  the  drainage  of  the 
houses,  and  cannot  fail,  sooner  or  later,  to  form  a  suitable  receptacle 
for  the  origin  and  spread  of  epidemic  disease,  when  drought,  heat, 
and  accumulation  of  filth  shall  unfortunately  occur  together. 

Leaving  San  Francisco  at  8  A.  M.,  you  reach,  on  your  return-trip  to 
the  east,  at  about  5  P.  M.,  the  pretty  and  flourishing  town  of  Colfax, 
392  miles,  named  from  Vice-President  Colfax.  Here  it  is  well  for 
those  interested  in  mines  to  stop  a  day  or  two  to  pay  a  visit  to  Grass 
Valley  and  Nevada,  among  the  most  important  of  the  gold-producing 
regions  of  California.  Grass  Valley  was  one  of  the  earliest  stopping- 
places  of  the  old  "  forty-niners,"  not  only  because  there  they  found 
excellent  pasturage  for  their  animals,  but  on  account  of  the  profitable 
"  washings  "  from  the  streams ;  the  subsequent  discovery  of  rich  veins 
of  gold-bearing  quartz  led  to  the  building  up  of  a  town,  numbering 
now  about  five  thousand  inhabitants.  The  fine  orchards  and  gardens 
around  the  miners'  houses  render  this  one  of  the  prettiest  of  the 
mining  localities,  and  show  that  the  thirst  for  gold  does  not  necessa 
rily  interfere  with  the  love  of  the  ornamental  and  the  beautiful.  Its 
buildings,  newspapers,  schools,  and  churches,  distinguish  it  as  a  cen 
tre  of  enterprise,  intelligence,  and  wealth  ;  there  is  probably  no  place 
in  the  State  where  mining  improvements  and  machinery  are  better 
appreciated,  and  more  successfully  employed,  than  here.  It  is  thir 
teen  miles  north  of  Colfax,  and  easily  accessible  by  a  line  of  stages. 
Though  about  2,600  feet  above  the  sea,  it  is  so  far  below  the  snow- 
line,  that  its  temperature  permits  the  ripening  of  semi-tropical  fruits, 
and  its  climate  is  very  healthy. 

Nevada,  four  miles  distant,  the  county  seat,  can  also  boast  of  very 
fine  buildings,  and  a  considerable  population  engaged  in  mining  and 
agriculture ;  it  is  rather  irregularly  laid  out  on  both  sides  of  Deer 
Creek,  which  runs  through  a  part  of  the  town.  After  the  Avashiugs 
in  the  old  river  had  ceased  to  be  profitable,  hydraulic  mining  was 
introduced  with  great  success  ;  but  now  the  principal  mining  opera 
tions  are  upon  the  quartz  in  the  fine  stamp  mills.  It  has  been  esti 
mated  that  over  fifty  million  dollars'  worth  of  gold  has  been  taken 
from  this  locality  in  twenty  years.  Newspapers,  banks,  churches, 
and  schools,  indicate  the  prosperity  of  the  place.  A  foundry,  flonr- 
ing-mills,  and  distilleries,  show  that  manufactories  and  agriculture 
may  be  profitably  pursued  in  busy  mining  regions  ;  the  soil  of  the  val 
ley  and  surrounding  hills  is  well  adapted  to  the  fruits  and  vegetables, 


<>4  THE    WONDERS  OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

which  are  the  pride  and  boast  of  California,  and  the  delight  of  the 
hungry  traveller. 

Passing  eastward  65  miles  from  Colfax,  you  come  to  Truckee,  a 
large,  busy,  and  muddy  town,  of  over  4,000  inhabitants,  chiefly  en 
gaged  in  the  lumber  business ;  it  is  situated  in  a  heavily-timbered 
region.  The  traveller  would  make  no  stop  here,  were  it  not  the  start 
ing-point  for  Lakes  Tahoe  and  Donner,  which  are  indeed  the  gems  of 
the  Sierras.  The  Truckee  River,  which  runs  along  the  road  for  miles, 
brawling  in  its  rockjr  bed,  has  one  source  in  each  of  the  above  lakes, 
and  empties  its  waters  into  Pyramid  Lake  to  the  north. 

Lake  Tahoe  is  12  miles  distant,  and  the  road  along  the  river  bank 
is  delightful.  The  dividing  line  between  California  and  Nevada  runs 
through  the  lake,  and  its  waters  wash  the  shore  of  five  counties ;  the 
depth  along  this  line  is  about  1,700  feet.  No  words  can  do  justice  to 
the  beauties  of  this  lake,  before  which  those  of  Como  and  Maggiore 
are  not  to  be  mentioned  ;  the  crystal  purity  of  the  water,  the  mountain 
slopes,  the  verdant  meadows,  the  splendid  trees,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
pleasures  of  sailing,  fishing,  and  shooting  in  its  invigorating  air, 
excuse  the  raptures  into  which  every  appreciative  traveller  involunta 
rily  falls. 

Donuer  Lake,  much  smaller  and  deeper,  and  equally  beautiful,  and 
always  memorable  from  the  terrible  event  which  has  given  it  its  name, 
is  only  two  and  a  half  miles  north-west  of  Truckee.  Both  these  lakes 
are  noted  for  their  silver  trout,  which  attain  the  weight  of  20  pounds, 
and  test  the  skill  of  the  angler  to  the  utmost. 

This  brings  us  to  the  confines  of  California,  to  go  beyond  which  is 
foreign  to  the  purpose  of  these  pages ;  the  most  noteworthy  points  on' 
the  return  east  are  the  famous  Comstock  and  other  silver  lodes,  at 
Virginia  City,  Nevada,  whose  wealth  is  almost  incalculable,  and  the 
Shoshone  Falls,  in  Idaho,  over  200  feet  high,  and  said  to  exceed  Ni 
agara  in  the  grandeur  and  wildncss  of  the  surrounding  scenery,  though 
with  much  less  volume  of  water. 

Then  you  may  leave  the  Pacific  road  at  Cheyenne,  and  go  south  to 
Denver,  and  from  that  point  spend  a  few  weeks  most  profitably  in  ex 
ploriug  the  magnificent  scenery  of  the  parks  of  Colorado. 

Some  travellers,  having  a  love  of  the  ocean,  and  plenty  of  time  at 
their  disposal,  may  prefer,  as  I  did,  to  return  once  by  sea  from  San 
Francisco,  via  Panama  and  Aspiuwall ;  for  what  may  be  enjoyed  on 
this  trip,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  next  chapter. 


ON  THE  MERCED  RIVER. 
Near  El  Capitan. 


" 


Q 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  65 

SAN    FRANCISCO    TO    BOSTON. 


ON  taking  the  ferry-boat  at  Oakland  to  make  the  six  or 
eight  miles'  transit  across  the  bay  to  San  Francisco,  I  was 
surprised  to  find  the  ladies  dressed  in  furs,  and  the  gentlemen 
with  winter  overcoats ;  the  air  was  damp  and  chilly,  very  much 
like  a  Boston  east  wind  in  March.  From  April  to  November, 
the  ascent  of  the  heated  air  from  the  valley  of  the  Sacramento  along 
the  Coast  Mountains  to  the  east  causes  the  cold  north-west  winds  to 
rush  in  from  the  Pacific  through  the  Golden  Gate,  laden  With  mois 
ture,  whose  condensation  envelops  the  city  in  the  morning  and  eve 
ning  in  dense  fogs,  with  many  clouds,  which  never  at  this  season  yield 
any  rain.  The  hot  sun  at  mid-day  dispels  the  mists,  and  straw  hats 
and  thin  garments  are  worn  at  noon  of  a  day  whose  morning  temper 
ature  was  disagreeably  cold.  This  season  is  admitted  to  be  the  most 
uncomfortable  in  the  whole  year,  and  the  most  trying  to  invalids. 
The  same  wind  which  blows  up  the  clouds  of  sand  in  the  streets, 
roughens  the  waters  of  the  bay,  and  makes  the  passage  in  or  out 
rather  cold  and  dismal.  Soon  after  getting  out  of  the  Golden  Gate 
and  on  to  the  Pacific,  the  wind  dies  away  and  the  sea  becomes  smoother, 
but  the  clouds  without  rain,  and  the  cold  fogs,  accompany  you  for  hun 
dreds  of  miles  at  this  season  (August) .  The  rocky  islands  and  head 
lands  give  shelter  to  innumerable  sea-birds,  especially  guillemots 
(Urici),  whose  large  and  irregularly  blotched  eggs  are  sold  by  the 
hundred  for  food  in  the  San  Francisco  markets ;  there  are  also  many 
large  seals,  or  so-called  sea-lions  (Phoca  jubata) ,  about  the  same  rocks. 
This  cold,  damp,  and  foggy  air  does  not  go  very  far  inland;  and  in 
the  foot-hills,  and  higher  mountains,  the  sky  is  cloudless,  the  nights 
without  dew,  and  the  stars  as  bright  as  on  a  frosty  night  with  us  ;  the 
air  is  so  dry  that  there  is  no  danger  of  taking  cold  in  camping  out,  even 
at  an  elevation  of  five  thousand  feet ;  and  travellers  not  unfrequently 
place  their  cot-beds  on  the  outside  and  uncovered  piazza,  sure  of  a 
pure,  dry  air,  with  no  danger  of  rain ;  it  is  this  rest  you  get  at  night, 
which  enables  you  to  rise  refreshed  after  the  heat,  dryness,  and  dusti- 
ness  of  the  day's  travel. 

One  of  the  striking  characteristics  of  the  Pacific  steamers  is,  that 
the  crew  are  all  Chinamen  ;  and  any  one  who  has  experienced  the  dis 
order,  the  dirtiness,  the  unnecessary  noise,  scoldings,  swearings,  and 
often  intoxication,  attendant  on  the  sailing  of  ships  from  Atlantic 
ports,  must  be  delighted  with  these  Chinese  sailors ;  they  are  neat, 
orderly,  quiet — not  using  oaths,  tobacco,  nor  whiskey — obedient, 
respectful,  strong,  and  in  every  way  good  sailors. 

The  coast,  seen  at  a  distance  of  about  three  miles,  is  high,  rocky  or 
sandy,  but  indescribably  barren  and  inhospitable  looking.  The  sea, 
for  the  whole  voyage  of  two  weeks,  was  remarkably  smooth,  well 
justifying  the  term  Pacific  to  any  one  who  has  been  tossed  about  on 
the  Atlantic ;  except  in  crossing  the  gulf  of  California,  there  was  no 
more  roughness,  exclusive  of  the  long  and  gentle  tidal  swell  of  the 
ocean,  than  an  hour's  east  wind  would  create  in  our  bay.  In  fact  this 


66  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLETt 

now  rarely  undertaken  Pacific  voyage  is,  at  this  season,  very  delight 
ful,  with  its  beauty,  and  quiet,  and  absolute  repose  of  body  and  of  mind, 
fully  realizing  the  dreamy  dolce  far  niente  of  the  Italian  imagination. 

Large  petrels  (Puffinus  cinereus  —  Gmel.)  began  to  appear  and  fol 
low  us  on  the  second  day  out.  On  alighting  in  the  water,  which  they 
often  do,  they  put  forward  their  webbed  feet,  checking  their  headway 
in  this  manner,  backing  water  as  it  were,  with  the  wings  spread,  be 
fore  settling  on  the  surface.  They  came  around  and  near  the  steamer 
in  considerable  numbers,  but  never  alighted  on  it,  as  the  booby  of  the 
Atlantic  does.  On  account  of  the  great  length  of  their  wings,  and  the 
shortness  of  their  legs,  they  cannot  rise,  like  the  gulls,  directly  from 
the  water,  but  are  obliged  to  run  along  the  surface,  like  the  smaller 
petrels,  beating  the  water  with  their  feet,  until  sufficiently  elevated  to 
use  their  wings. 

Flying  fish  also  began  to  appear,  but  neither  so  numerous,  nor  so 
large,  as  in  the  Southern  Atlantic.  The  ventrals  were  expanded  just 
like  the  pectorals  in  the  act  of  flight,  the  former  being  much  the 
smaller.  They  rose  out  of  a  perfectly  smooth  sea,  showing  that  they 
are  not  mere  skippers  from  the  top  of  one  wave  to  another;  they 
could  be  seen  to  change  their  course,  as  well  as  to  rise  and  fall,  not 
uufrequently  touching  the  longer  lower  lobe  of  the  tail  to  the  surface, 
and  again  rising  as  if  they  used  the  tail  as  a  powerful  spring.  While 
the  ventrals  may  act  chiefty  as  a  parachute,  it  seems  as  if  the  pectorals 
performed,  by  their  almost  imperceptible  but  rapid  vibrations,  the 
function  of  true  flight.  Another  reason  which  leads  me  to  think  they 
perform  a  true  flight,  is  the  way  in  which  they  reenter  the  water. 
After  reaching  the  end  of  their  aerial  course,  they  drop  into  the  water 
with  a  splash,  instead  of  making  a  gentle  and  gradual  descent,  like 
the  flying  squirrel,  flying  dragon,  and  other  vertebrates  with  mem 
branes  acting  as  parachutes.  The  drying  of  the  flying  membrane  in 
the  air  would  prevent  the  small  but  numerous  and  rapid  motions  nec 
essary  for  true  flight,  and  the  animal  therefore  suddenly  drops  when 
the  membrane  becomes  stiff.  I  do  not  see  how  the  drying  of  the 
pectorals  would  affect  their  action  as  parachutes.  The  temperature 
of  the  air  was  70  deg.  Fah. 

At  the  same  time  there  were  seen  small  Portuguese  men-of-war 
(Physalia),  no  larger  than  an  olive,  and  without  the  purple  reflec 
tions  of  the  larger  ones  so  often  met  in  the  Atlantic.  Whether  these 
were  the  young  or  full-grown  individuals  I  do  not  know ;  I  saw  none 
larger  than  these,  and  they  were  not  numerous. 

As  we  approached  the  coast  of  the  gulf  of  California  the  petrels 
left  us,  and  were  replaced  in  an  hour  or  two  by  white  gulls  about  the 
size  of  Bonaparte's  gull,  but  either  entirely  white,  or  with  a  very 
slight  lavender-blue  tinge  on  the  back  and  wings.  These  had  an  en 
tirely  different  way  of  alighting,  and  rising  from  the  water ;  they  did 
not  put  forward  their  feet  to  arrest  their  course,  but  circled  round 
like  pigeons  until  their  headway  was  stopped,  and  then  quietly  set 
tled  upon  the  water,  immediately  folding  their  wings.  They  also 
rose  directly  from  the  surface,  without  running  along  as  the  larger- 
winged  petrels  did.  75  deg.  Fah. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA.  67 


The  next  day,  August  7,  the  temperature  was  80  deg.  Fah.  Land 
was  in  sight  all  day.  The  California  coast,  for  hundreds  of  miles,  is 
most  forbidding,  rocky  to  the  ocean,  with  high  mountains  in  the 
background,  entirely  parched  and  barren  at  this  season,  and  having 
that  greenish-red  tinge  suggestive  of  mineral  contents,  especially 
copper.  The  shore  is  entirely  uninhabited  even  to  beyond  the  moun 
tains,  and  shipwrecked  persons  there  would  perish  of  starvation  if 
they  depended  on  what  the  country  afforded.  Indeed  a  part  of  the 
coast  near  which  the  "Golden  City"  went  ashore  in  1869,  is  called 
"Starvation  Point";  her  numerous  passengers,  among  whom  were 
many  women  and  children,  had  to  walk  more  than  twenty  miles  to 
reach  a  headland,  where  their  signals  of  distress  were  fortunately 
seen  by  a  passenger  on  one  of  the  Pacific  steamers  bound  in  the  op 
posite  direction,  who  was  trying  his  opera-glass  very  early  on  that 
morning.  There  is  now  little  commerce  in  these  waters,  and  we  did 
not  see  a  sail  for  days  on  this  part  of  the  coast ;  all  the  trade  is  done 
by  a  few  small  coasting  schooners,  which  keep  near  the  shore.  The 
coasts  of  Mexico,  Nicaragua,  and  Costa  Rica,  on  the  contrary,  are 
beautifully  green. 

After  passing  Cape  St.  Lucas,  August  8,  we  were  in  the  mouth  of 
the  Gulf  of  California,  where  it  ascends  many  Hundred  miles  to  the 
north,  parallel  to  the  coast,  leaving  the  long,  comparatively  narrow, 
barren  and  uninhabited  region,  along  which  we  had  sailed  for  the  past 
two  days.  ,  The  weather  now  became  hot  —  85  deg.  Fah.  at  noon,  and 
so  remaining  day  and  night  to  Panama,  once  going  up  to  88  deg.,  and 
occasionally  descending  to  84  deg.  Point  Conception,  in  latitude 
34  cleg.  50  min.,  corresponds  very  nearly  to  Cape  Hatteras  on  the  At 
lantic  coast ;  at  this  point,  the  coast,  instead  of  continuing  to  follow 
the  mountains  from  north-west  to  south-east,  becomes  nearly  east  and 
west,  and  the  cold  north-west  winds  from  San  Francisco  are  sud 
denly  exchanged  for  the  warm  southerly  winds  of  the  tropics,  and 
off  goes  the  pea-jacket,  and  on  goes  the  thin  coat  and  light  hat.  For 
two  or  three  nights,  the  nearly  full  moon  shining  upon  the  glassy  sea 
was  very  beautiful ;  but  with  the  moon,  as  with  the  sunrise  and  sun 
set,  I  find  that  we  have  far  more  beautiful  colors  and  contrasts  at 
home  ;  it  seems  as  if  the  land  and  sea  must  be  both  before  the  sight 
to  give  the  full  effect,  which  a  dreary  waste  of  water  alone  cannot  give. 

The  water  here  was  very  phosphorescent.  I  obtained  a  bottleful 
in  about  latitude  10  deg.,  which  has  been  unopened  since  August  9. 
It  may  be  interesting  to  see  if  it  contains  more  salt  than  the  water  of 
the  Northern  and  the  Atlantic  Oceans,  as  is  alleged — if  there  be  in  it 
any  remains  of  diatoms,  or  of  animal  forms,  or  of  any  kind  of  or 
ganic  or  nitrogenous  matter  which  may  serve  as  nutriment  for  pro 
tozoa,  or  any  dilute  protoplasm  diffused  through  the  waters  of  the 
ocean  which  could  bo  directly  absorbed  by  these  lowest  organisms. 

The  Mexican  shore  here  came  in  sight,  strikingly  contrasting  with 
the  California!!,  being  green,  with  a  luxuriant  vegetation,  and  very 
pleasant  looking ;  the  shore  high,  with  elevated  mountains  in  the  dis 
tance,  and  here  and  thei'6  a  beach  lined  with  coral  reefs  against 
which  the  surf  could  be  seen  breaking.  We  could  see  the  rain-clouds 


68  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

in  the  mountains,  and  the  lightning,  and  hear  the  thunder ;  while 
where  we  were  —  three  miles  from  the  shore  —  all  was  bright  sunshine, 
with  no  sign  of  rain.  On  the  ninth,  in  about  18  deg.,  we  stopped  in 
the  land-locked  harbor  of  Manzanillo,  the  mountains  rising  steeply 
from  the  water's  edge,  more  than  one  thousand  feet  high,  clothed  with 
vegetation  to  the  very  top.  For  the  last  day,  after  leaving  the  Cal 
ifornia  gulf,  no  birds  were  seen ;  first  we  had  the  large  petrels,  then 
the  smaller  white  gulls  ;  these  soon  disappeared,  having  limits  beyond 
which  they  did  not  pass ;  the  reason  was  not  evident  to  our  senses, 
as  the  climate,  and  the  shore,  and  the  sea,  appeared  to  us  the  same ; 
l>ut  the  birds  knew  the  difference. 

On  the  eleventh  we  reached  Acapulco,  Mexico,  in  about  17  deg. 
north,  where  we  stopped  half  a  day,  going  on  shore  to  purchase  shells 
and  corals,  and  the  luscious  fruits  of  the  place,  and  to  witness  the 
strangeness  of  an  old  Mexican  city,  with  its  Spanish  decay  softened 
by  tropical  indolence,  its  curious  mixture  of  natives,  negroes,  and 
Mexicans,  the  peculiar  customs  of  the  market-place,  and  the  heter 
ogeneous  articles  exposed  for  sale ;  the  stock  of  a  hundred  women, 
and  nearly  as  many  men,  was  not  greater  than  the  contents  of  a  single 
stall  in  one  of  our  markets,  the  trade  being  of  the  most  petty  descrip 
tion,  and  seemingly  like  that  of  children  playing  buying  and  selling 
merely  to  pass  away  the  time.  I  obtained  here  a  few  shells,  especially 
murices,  and  some  natural  and  artificially-colored  corals.  The  harbor 
is  very  beautiful,  entirely  land-locked,  surrounded  by  high  hills  cov 
ered  with  bushes  to  the  top ;  here  and  there  could  be  seen  the  palm- 
leaf  huts  of  the  natives,  with  patches  of  bananas  and  groves  of  oranges  ; 
the  beach  was  lined  with  palm-trees,  and  everything  had  the  peaceful, 
lazy,  dreamy  look  peculiar  to  the  tropics ;  the  buildings  of  the  town 
are  of  stone,  with  tile  roofs,  and  generally  of  one  story ;  the  old 
church  in  the  plaza  was  built  by  the  Spaniards,  and  is  now  used  as  a 
prison,  as  its  grated  windows  indicated.  The  water  was  beautifully 
clear,  and  swarmed  with  bright-colored  fish,  and  it  is  said  with  sharks  ; 
I  saw  none  of  the  latter,  and  the  professional  divers  near  the  landing 
apparently  had  little  fear  of  them,  as  they  dived  for  the  pieces  of 
money  thrown  to  them  by  the  passengers. 

When  the  coasts  of  Southern  Mexico  and  Guatemala  are  reached,  and 
especially  about  latitude  11  deg.  30  min.,  white-romped  Mother 
Carey's  chickens  came  around  us ;  they  looked  just  like  the  common 
Atlantic  species,  and,  as  Baird  does  not  describe  such  a  bird  on  the 
Pacific  in  vol.  ix.  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  Reports,  I  suppose  the 
species  must  have  appeared  since  then,  either  from  South  America,  or 
having  crossed  the  isthmus.  Now  and  then  a  marine  turtle  would  be 
seen  lazily  rolling  at  the  surface. 

The  lowest  latitude  reached,  is  about  7  deg.  north.  We  arrived  at 
Panama  Aug.  17  (a  fortnight  from  San  Francisco),  where  we  re 
mained  two  days,  giving  ample  time  to  examine  this  quaint  old  Span 
ish  town.  In  the  spacious  and  fine  harbor  were  many  hooded  gulls, 
brown  pelicans,  and  frigate  pelicans,  while  numerous  turkey  buzzards 
ran  along  the  beach  with  the  same  tamencss  and  voracity  as  in  our 
Southern  and  Gulf  States;  the  water  abounds  in  catfish  and  sharks, 


-.-'-•II* 


Q 


DISTANT  VIEWS  OF  THE  SIERRA  NEVADAS. 

From  South  Dome. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  69 

though  I  saw  none  of  the  latter  caught  by  the  numerous  fishermen. 
Panama  is  built  along  the  bay,  which  is  surrounded  by  high  hills  and 
mountains,  covered  with  tropical  verdure;  many  of  the  smaller 
islands  show  columns  of  basalt  with  precipitous  sides,  and  there  have 
been  several  noted  subsidences  of  the  land.  Though  hot  in  mid-day, 
the  temperature  at  night  was  delightful ;  and  this  in  the  middle  of 
August.  The  place  has  the  typical  appearance  of  a  dirty  Spanish 
town. 

We  left  Panama,  Aug.  19,  to  cross  the  Isthmus  to  Aspinwall,  a 
distance  of  forty-seven  miles,  occupying  three  hours  in  the  passage, 
in  very  dirty  and  uncomfortable  cars,  steerage  mingled  with  cabin  pas 
sengers,  as  both  classes  pay  the  same  fare,  viz.,  twenty  dollars  in  gold. 
The  route  runs  for  nearly  half  the  distance  along  the  Chagres  Kiver,  a 
narrow,  muddy  stream,  with  banks  of  reddish  clay  which  tinges  the 
water  to  the  color  of  that  of  the  Missouri  River ;  the  road  has  some 
sharp  curves,  and  a  few  cuts,  and  presents  only  one  engineering  nota 
bility,  where  it  crosses  the  river  on  a  substantial  iron  bridge.  The 
land  is  mostly  low,  and  the  vegetation  most  luxuriant ;  water  seems 
abundant,  but  of  a  repulsive  look  and  stagnant  character,  which,  with 
the  marshy  effluvia,  fully  explains  the  death  of  thousands  from  mala 
rious  disease  during  the  construction  of  the  road ;  it  is  familiarly 
said  that  a  life  was  lost  for  every  sleeper  laid,  so  unhealthy  was  the 
region  for  Northern  workmen.  The  natives,  however,  seemed  vigor 
ous  and  well  developed,  and  every  hut  swarmed  with  children,  the 
amount  of  clothing  on  which,  especially  on  boys  to  the  age  of  seven 
or  eight  years,  would  not  materially  draw  upon  the  contents  of  a  dry 
goods  store.  Many  negroes  were  seen,  and  they  fraternize  fully  with 
the  Indian  natives ;  the  latter  are  nearly  as  dark  as  negroes,  but  have 
finer  forms,  more  regular  features,  and  straight  black  hair.  The 
marshes  and  the  mud  are  occasionally  relieved  by  masses  of  very  dark 
volcanic  looking  rock,  through  which  several  cuts  have  been  made ; 
the  graceful  palms,  and  the  beautiful  flowers,  could  not  fail  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  most  unobservant ;  the  only  birds  seen  were  small 
black  anis  (Crotophaga  ani.  L.),  a  scansorial  bird  of  the  cuckoo  fam 
ily,  which  hopped  and  flew  about  like  blackbirds  with  us. 

The  town  of  Aspinwall  is  small,  low,  on  the  margin  of  a  swamp, 
recalling  to  the  mind  the  ideal  of  the  marshes  of  the  carboniferous 
period,  and  suggesting  the  formation  of  coal  from  the  luxuriant  veg 
etation;  though,  near  the  sea,  the  water  is  salt,  instead  of  the  fresh 
water  supposed  to  be  necessary  to  the  formation  of  coal. 

There  was  nothing  noteworthy  in  the  nine  days'  passage  to  New 
York,  except  the  much  greater  heat  in  the  Caribbean  Sea,  than  in 
similar  latitudes  on  the  Pacific ;  probably  from  its  comparatively 
small  size,  and  being  land-locked.  No  whales  were  seen  in  the  Pacific, 
and  none  in  the  Atlantic,  till  latitude  37  deg. ,  off  Delaware  Bay,  when 
a  school  of  about  twenty  finbacks,  some  of  them  forty  to  fifty  feet 
long,  came  quite  near  the  steamer ;  I  was  interested  to  notice  that 
their  blowing  projected  into  the  air  simply  a  fine  vapor,  and  not  a  jet 
of  water,  as  is  usually  believed ;  that  cetaceans  do,  however,  some 
times  eject  water  in  this  way,  I  know,  as  I  have,  on  many  occasions, 


JTQ  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET,   ETC. 

at  night,  heard  the  puff  soon  followed  by  the  swash  of  the  descending 
water. 

The  whole  trip  from  San  Francisco  to  New  York  takes  about  twen 
ty-three  days,  at  a  cost  of  $100  in  gold ;  in  the  cars  you  can  make 
the  passage  in  one-third  the  time  (seven  days)  at  a  cost  of  about  $180 
-by  the  cars,  two  weeks  shorter  and  about  $60  dearer  —  if  one  has 
plenty  of  time,  it  is  far  pleasanter  by  sea,  as  you  are  brought  into 
contact  with  new  aspects  of  nature,  tropical  scenery  and  fruits,  and 
are  free  from  dust,  change  of  cars,  anxiety  about  baggage  and  sleep 
ing  facilities,  and  from  the  inevitable  rush  of  the  dining  saloons  and 
railway  stations. 

In  these  short  sketches  I  have  endeavored  to  express  what  espec 
ially  interested  me  in  the  California  trip ;  others  will  take  note  of 
different  things,  each  according  to  his  taste  and  education ;  but  every 
one  will,  I  think,  admit  that  this  journey  will  bring  him  into  contact 
with  some  of  the  sublimest  of  scenery. 

As  to  the  causes  which  have  produced  this  remarkable  Valley,  there 
are  three  principal  theories :  the  subsidence  theory,  the  ice  theory, 
and  the  water  theory.  From  what  I  have  seen,  and  have  been  able 
to  ascertain,  it  seems  to  me  that  there  was  a  great  subsidence,  as 
claimed  by  Prof.  Whitney,  and  that  subsequently  an  immense  glacier 
extended  to  the  edge  of  the  Valley,  even  entering  the  easterly  end 
of  it  by  the  numerous  canons  there,  as  proved  by  the  glacial  scratches 
and  moraines,  and  giving  rise,  by  its  melting,  to  a  great  lake,  which 
gradually  disappeared.  That  the  Half  Dome,  El  Capitan,  and  other 
masses  in  the  Valley,  were  produced,  or  essentially  modified  by  ice  or 
water,  I  am  not,  with  the  present  evidence,  prepared  to  believe. 

As  a  means  of  restoring  impaired  health,  and  of  invigorating  the 
feeble  and  nervous  of  both  sexes,  it  is  to  be  highly  recommended  — 
its  bracing  air,  pure  water,  delightful  tramps,  and  awe-inspiring  scen 
ery,  are  a  thousand  times  more  to  be  desired  by  persons  of  sense  and 
culture,  than  the  inanities  of  Saratoga,  the  fashion  of  Newport,  the 
pomposity  of  Long  Branch,  the  petty  swindling  of  Niagara,  or  the 
discomforts  of  the  White  Mountains. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


THE  YOSEMITE   IN   1872. 

THOSE  who  visited  the  famous  Valley  in  1869,  1870,  ^ind  even 
1871,  will  find  that  much  of  the  fatigue,  dust,  vexatious  delays, 
and  the  cuticular  abrasions  incidental  to  prolonged  saddle  excursions, 
may  be  avoided  by  the  improved  facilities  for  travel  in  1872.  In 
fact,  it  may  almost  be  asserted  that  the  only  horseback  riding  nec 
essary  now,  is  the  descent  of  the  mountains  directly  into  the  Val 
ley,  a  distance  of  only  three  miles,  and  occupying  not  more  than  two 
hours  of  time.  Indeed  the  speed  and  comparative  comfort  of  the  trip 
now  rob  it,  in  my  opinion,  of  much  of  the  charm  and  delightful  feel 
ing  of  freedom  which  attach  to  equestrian  exercise  among  magnificent 
mountain  scenery,  even  though  the  air-passages  be  choked  with  dust, 
and  the  bones  ache  from  riding.  On  your  horse  you  are  free  to  stop 
and  admire  when  you  please ;  in  the  stage  you  have  as  much  dust  and 
as  much  fatigue,  though  of  a  different  kind,  crowded  into  fewer  hours, 
with  the  additional  discomforts  of  cramped  position,  inability  to  see, 
and  disagreeable  joltings,  against  which  you  cannot  guard. 

By  consulting  the  maps,  the  reader  will  be  able  to  trace  the 
different  routes  to  the  Valley,  and  to  locate  in  advance  the  most 
remarkable  cliffs  and  waterfalls  described  in  the  previous  pages. 

It  is  estimated  that  in  1869,  about  1,100  visitors  entered  the  Valley  ; 
this  number,  in  1870,  was  increased  to  1,700,  and  in  1871  to  2,300  ;  in 
1872,  it  is  safe  to  predict  that  at  least  3,000  persons  will  behold  its 
beauties.  Judging  from  the  expressed  intentions  one  hears  around, 
many  hundred  persons  from  this  vicinity  will  substitute  this  for  their 
summer  trip  to  Europe  and  the  fashionable  watering-places. 

It  is  understood  that  the  "  American  Association  for  the  Advance 
ment  of  Science  "  will  next  year  be  invited  to  meet  in  San  Fraucisco. 
California!!  generosity  and  hospitality  are  proverbial ;  and  the  treasure 
which  she  lavished  on  the  "  Sanitary  Commission,"  will  not  be  stinted 
in  furnishing  facilities  for  the  "  Scientific  Brotherhood,"  who  are  look 
ing  with  longing  eyes  to  the  Pacific  shore.  Her  fertile  plains,  her 
magnificent  forests,  her  inexhaustible  gold  fields,  her  immense  or 
chards  and  vineyards,  her  salubrious  climate,  make  her  the  envy  of 
the  more  sterile  Eastern  States.  No  doubt  she  will  extend  such  a 
welcome,  that  the  scientists  from  every  State  will  find  it  in  their 
power  to  cross  the  continent  by  the  Pacific  Railroad.  This  will 
probably  lead  to  the  Yosemite  many  a  geologist,  to  speculate  upon 
the  mighty  agencies  of  convulsions,  ice,  and  water,  which  have  com 
bined  in  the  formation  of  the  great  Valley ;  many  a  botanist,  to  revel 
in  the  gorgeous  floral  richness  and  in  the  unparalleled  forest  growth  of 
the  mountain  meadows  and  gorges  ;  many  a  true  lover  of  nature,  to 
appreciate  and  extol  the  sublimity  and  beauty  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
with  its  cliffs  and  falls.  So  may  it  be  ! 

Even  Californians  do  not  seem  to  be  aware  what  a  magnificent  trust 
the  United  States  have  committed  to  their  care.  It  is  understood 
that  parties  who  think  they  have  a  claim  to  portions  of  the  Valley, 
from  squatting  upon,  and,  in  their  idea,  improving  the  land  therein 


74  THE  WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

(though  having  none,  as  the  region  had  not  been  surveyed),  hare 
been  busy  the  past  winter  in  endeavors  to  have  their  titles  legalized. 
If  these  persons  have  made  what  they  regard  as  improvements,  let 
them  be  paid  amply  therefor ;  build  a  golden  bridge  for  them  to  pass 
over,  and  let  them  carry  at  once  and  forever  by  this  pathway,  cheap 
at  any  price,  all  supposed  claims  to  this  part  of  the  national  domain. 
True,  it  has  no  gold,  nor  fertile  land,  nor  available  forests,  to  tempt 
the  cupidity  of  individuals,  or  in  any  way  to  increase  pecuniarily  the 
value  of  the  State  ;  but  it  has  that  which  no  money  can  purchase — the 
sublime  and  beautiful  in  nature  —  what  will  render  the  State  more 
famous  than  her  mines  and  her  grains,  and  will  do  more  than  her  in 
stitutions  of  learning,  noble  as  they  are,  to  elevate  and  cultivate  her 
people.  Every  lover  of  his  country,  and  of  her  grand  scenery,  is 
interested  to  prevent  the  acknowledgment  of  all  claims,  under  what 
ever  pretence  advocated,  of  private  individuals,  or  of  corporate 
bodies,  to  any  part  of  the  Yosemite  Valley  and  its  surroundings,  as 
fixed  by  the  Act  of  Congress  alluded  to  in  the  preceding  pages. 

Let  the  "  American  Association  "  speak  the  united  demand  of  the 
sciences  they  represent,  at  the  meeting  of  1873,  and  put  a  stop  for 
ever  to  the  vandalism  which  has  assumed  such  threatening  propor 
tions.  Let  the  State  assume  the  responsibility  of  the  roads,  the  new 
trails,  the  bridges ;  let  her  forbid  the  erection  of  any  more  shingle 
houses  for  trading  or  drinking  purposes,  and  level  with  the  earth 
many  now  existing,  the  continued  building  of  which  will  make  the 
Valley  look  like  the  cloth-covered  shanty  villages  which  appear  and 
disappear  as  a  new  railroad  progresses  on  the  plains — a  sort  of 
house-cancer,  which  follows  the  avenues  of  travel,  carrying  in  its 
course  gambling,  whiskey,  and  riot,  and  remediable  only  by  the 
strangulating  surgery  of  "Vigilance  Committees." 

Let  the  cutting  down  of  trees  be  stopped  by  more  stringent  meas 
ures,  the  present  law  not  being  strictly  enforced.  Let  no  man  fence 
up  meadows  belonging  to  the  State,  and  charge  travellers  pasturage 
for  their  horses  on  the  public  domain.  The  beautiful  wild  flowers 
and  thickets,  classed  by  the  soulless  improvers  as  useless  chapparal, 
are  trampled  by  cattle  and  destroyed  by  the  plough.  But  fortunately, 
in  the  language  of  one  who  knows  whereof  he  speaks,  and  is  filled  to 
overflowing  with  the  beauty  of  Californian  nature,  "  By  far  the  greater 
portion  of  Yosemite  is  unimprovable ;  her  trees  and  her  flowers  will 
melt  like  the  snow,  but  her  domes  and  her  falls  are  everlasting." 

Let  not  the  Golden  State  permit  her  own  and  her  sister  populations 
to  regard  the  Valley  of  the  "Great  Grisly  Bear"  (Yosemite)  rather 
as  the  valley  of  the  "  Golden  Fleece." 

Every  traveller,  coming  from  the  East,  should  stop  at  Stockton, 
California,  and  make  that  city  the  point  from  which  to  start  on  the 
tour  of  the  Calaveras  Grove,  Yosemite  Valley,  and  the  Mariposa 
Grove,  all  of  which,  if  time  permits,  should  be  included  in  the  trip. 
Presuming  that  the  traveller  wishes  to  avoid,  as  much  as  possible, 
horseback  riding,  and  avail  himself  of  railways  and  stages  where 
practicable,  Stockton  is  the  propar  base  of  departure.  Various  routes 
are  open  to  the  traveller,  and  very  eloquent  and  pertinacious  advocates 


•O?       FOOT-BRIDGE  LEADING  TO  NEVADA  FALL,       ffo: 

After  a  Snow  Storm  in  July. 

'13  C 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  75 

will  soon  beset  him,  assuring  him  positively  that  speed,  comfort, 
safety,  and  moderate  charges  can  be  secured  only  on  the  route  for 
which  he  is  employed  as  rir.mer ;  as  all  are  made  out  equally  advis 
able,  each  in  turn,  the  traveller  will  naturally  and  properly  decline 
to  believe  all  that  is  told  him  by  the  rival  advocates.  All  the  routes 
have  their  advantages,  and  all  their  disadvantages,  and,  after  all, 
there  is  not  much  to  choose ;  you  will  be  surely  disappointed  in  some 
things,  while  others  will  surpass  your  expectations.  Taking  things 
easy,  and  making  the  best  of  what  offers,  and  not  expecting,  in  this 
new  and  rough  country,  the  punctuality  and  the  little  comforts  he 
has  become  familiar  with  in  the  palace  cars,  are  what  make  the  phil 
osophic  traveller  enjoy  himself  in  spite  of  minor  inconveniences, 
while  the  male  fuss-bug  and  the  female  fidget  are  disgusted  with 
everything,  and  pronounce  the  Yosemite  trip  a  humbug  and  a  bore. 

Heavy  trunks  should  be  left  at  Stockton,  as  you  will  surely  return 
thither,  whether  you  approach  the  Valley  from  the  east  or  the  west; 
they  will  be  unnecessary  and  a  nuisance,  difficult  to  carry  by  stage 
and  impossible  by  horses,  and,  if  carried  from  Stockton  and  left, 
necessitating  return  by  the  same  route,  which  is  not  advisable  if  you 
wish  to  see  the  most  you  can  in  a  short  time.  A  valise  that  can  be 
carried  by  hand,  or  easily  packed  on  a  horse,  is  enough  for  a  fort 
night's  trip,  and  few  make  one  more  than  ten  days'  long;  for  gentle 
men,  are  desirable  a  broad-rimmed  light  hat,  strong  boots,  serviceable 
but  not  too  nice  clothes,  Avith  flannel  shirts ;  for  ladies,  flounces, 
trains,  high-heeled  boots,  and  fashionable  hats  are  quite  out  of 
character ;  the  clothing  should  be  about  what  would  be  worn  here  in 
the  latter  part  of  spring ;  the  heat  maybe  ninety  degrees  Fah.  at 
noon,  in  the  Valley,  while  the  nights  and  mornings  are  cool ;  umbrel 
las  are  useless  impediments. 

In  my  judgment,  the  best  route  to  follow,  if  you  are  not  in  a  great 
hurry,  and  wish  to  visit  the  Calaveras  grove  of  trees,  is  this :  taking 
the  railroad  at  Stockton  you  go  to  Milton  or  Copperopolis,  a  distance 
of  twenty-eight  or  thirty  miles ;  there  you  take  stage  for  Murphy's, 
a  distance  of  thirty-seven  miles  ;  seventeen  miles  farther  by  stage  will 
bring  you  to  the  Calaveras  grove  of  big  trees,  occupying  ten  hours. 
Kemaining  one  clay  in  the  grove,  previously  described,  you 
start  in  the  morning  for  Murphy's  again ;  dine  at  Sonora,  and 
take  supper  at  Chinese  Camp,  going  on  to  Garrote,  which  you  reach 
at  nine  P.M.,  there  passing  the  night;  on  this  day  you  have  ridden 
about  sixty-seven  miles  by  stage,  the  distance  from  Murphy's  to 
Garrote  being  fifty  miles  ;  the  roads  are  better  than  on  the  old  Mar- 
iposa  route,  the  hotels  arc  comfortable,  and  the  fare  good.  Next  day, 
before  light,  you  start  again,  reaching,  at  noon,  Crane's  Flat,  a  dis 
tance  of  thirty  miles;  about  half-past  one  you  leave  again,  and  by 
the  middle  of  the  afternoon  arrive  at  "  Prospect  Kock,"  the  end  of 
the  stage  route ;  here  you  get  the  first  glimpse  of  the  Valley,  though 
not  so  good  as  the  one  from  rt  Inspiration  Point,"  on  the  Mariposa 
route.  You  then  mount  your  horse,  descend  the  mountain  about 
three  miles,  and  reach  the  hotels  in  the  Valley  about  eight  p.  M.  — 


y6  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLET, 

having  ridden  seventeen  miles  from  Crane's   Flat  without  any  great 
fatigue. 

Then  making  the  tour  of  the  Valley  by  stage,  and  on  horseback, 
you  visit  the  various  points  of  interest,  noted  on  the  accompanying 
imp,  and  previously  described,  spending  not  less  than  three  days. 
If  you  ascend  the  high  Sierra,  toward  the  upper  Yosemite  fall,  or  go 
to  Cathedral  Peak,  which  is  strongly  advised  to  all  good  climbers, 
for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  polishing  of  the  rocks  —  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  beautiful  lake  Tenaya,  especially  —  the  work  of  the  ancient 
glacier  which  once  ploughed  its  way,  miles  in  length  and  width,  and 
thousands  of  feet  in  thickness,  along  the  top  of  the  Sierra,  filling  up 
the  Yosemite  Valley,  and  extending  twenty  miles  or  more  along  the 
plain  of  the  Merced  River  —  you  must  stay  half,  or,  better  still,  a 
whole  week  longer.  Nowhere  can  be  seen  better  evidence  of  the 
immense  power  of  ice  in  shaping  the  hardest  rocks,  than  in  the  easily 
accessible  heights  on  the  north  side  of  the  Valley. 

It  will  be  well  to  return  to  Stockton  by  the  Mariposa  trail,  as  by 
that  you  visit  Sentinel  Dome,  the  Mariposa  trees,  and  pass  through 
the  interesting  gold  diggings  of  Mariposa-  and  Bear  Creek.  It  is 
longer  and  more  fatiguing,  and  with  more  horseback  riding  than  the 
Coulterville  route.  These  routes  can  be  well  understood  from  the 
accompanying  excellent  map  of  the  region,  kindly  furnished  by  F. 
Knowland,  Esq.,  General  Agent  of  the  Union  and  Central  Pacific 
Railroads.  In  summer,  tourists  will  be  able  to  descend  from  Sentinel 
Dome  as  well  as  by  the  Mariposa  trail  on  the  south  side,  and  by  Indian 
Canon,  as  well  as  the  Coulterville  route,  on  the  north  side  ;  but  it  is 
best  for  most  travellers,  especially  for  ladies,  to  make  the  descent 
by  the  oldest  and  best  trails  ;  by  all  the  routes  you  can  go  by  stage 
almost  to  the  edge  of  the  Valley. 

Going  out,  then,  by  the  Mariposa  trail,  you  ride  by  stage  (or  on 
horseback,  if  you  prefer  it)  to  the  western  end  of  the  Valley,  along, 
but  not  crossing,  the  placid  Merced  River,  passing  near  the  Bridal 
Veil  fall. 

Mounting  your  horse,  you  ascend  a  steep  and  winding  path,  often 
casting  a  fond,  lingering  look  behind  at  the  beautiful  Valley,  till  it  is 
lost  from  sight;  you  arrive  iu  about  an  hour  at  "Inspiration  Point," 
from  which,  coming  from  the  other  direction,  you  obtain  the  first 
glimpse  of  Yosemite,  and  probably  the  grandest  view  in  the  country, 
if  not  in  the  world.  Lingering  here  as  long  as  you  can,  you  branch 
off  to  Sentinel  Dome  and  Glacier  Point,  from  which  the  view  of  the 
distant  Sierra,  embracing  the  Obelisk,  Mount  Lyell,  and  Mount  Dana 
groups  of  mountains,  is  indeed  magnificent.  Thence  to  Wcstfall's 
meadow,  and  to  Clark  and  Moore's,  25  miles  from  the  Valley,  where  a 
genuine  New  England  welcome  awaits  you. 

Distant  from  their  hotel  about  five  miles  is  the  Mariposa  grove  of  big 
trees,  where  the  "Grisly  Giant"  stands  erect,  about  300  feet  high  and 
90  feet  in  circumference  at  the  base  —  with  scores  of  smaller  giants, 
male  and  female,  married  and  single,  as  indicated  by  their  names. 

Returning  to  the  hotel  you  take  stage  for  Mariposa  over  a  very 
good  road,  with  an  oasis  in  the  desert  called  "White  and  Hatch's," 


MIRROR  LAKE  AND  Mr.  WATKINS. 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


77 


where  a  second  New  England  welcome  and  home-like  table  will  refresh 
both  mind  and  body.  From  Mariposa  you  go  by  stage  through  the 
decayed  mining  region  of  that  name,  where  a  few  Chinese  still  search 
for  gold  successfully  in  the  deserted  diggings.  The  end  of  your  dusty 
ride  soon  ends,  as  you  strike  theVisalia  division  of  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad  at  Modesto,  20  miles  from  Lathrop  on  the  main  railroad; 
thence  to  Stockton  10  miles,  after  a  stage  ride  of  about  90  miles. 

By  this  route  you  pass  through  Calaveras,  Tuolumne,  Mariposa, 
Merced,  and  Stanislaus  counties,  and  get  an  excellent  idea  of  the 
Sierra  and  the  foot-hills.  If  the  Calaveras  grove  be  omitted,  the 
tourist  should  by  all  means  enter  the  Valley  b}'  the  Mariposa  route, 
for  the  sake  of  Sentinel  Dome  and  Inspiration  Point,  and  go  out  by  the 
Coulterville  trail ;  then,  on  reaching  Chinese  Camp,  should  the  appe 
tite  grow  by  what  it  feeds  on,  and  time  allow,  it  is  easy  to  go  up  to 
the  Cnlaveras  grove  —  or  the  traveller  may  return  by  Knight's  Ferry 
to  Modesto,  or  whatever  may  be  the  terminus  of  the  Visalia  branch 
to  Stockton.  As  the  railroad  is  finished  to  Bear  Creek  and  Merced, 
the  stage  route  by  way  of  Mariposa  is  shortened  some  30  miles,  which 
will  be  an  additional  inducement  to  enter  the  Valley  by  this  route. 

Time  from  Stockton  back  again,  including  three  days  in  the  Valley, 
the  Calaveras  circuit,  Sentinel  Dome,  and  the  Mariposa  grove — ten  to 
twelve  days.  Fare  from  Boston  to  San  Francisco,  $142  —  time  to 
Stockton,  7  days,  for  which  $5  to  $6  a  day  should  be  allowed  for 
sleeping  cars  and  meals ;  the  Yosemite  trip  will  cost  from  $1 25  to 
$150,  according  to  the  manner  of  conveyance,  and  the  number  of  the 
party ;  the  total  necessary  expense  per  individual,  with  a  few  days  in 
San  Francisco,  need  not  be  more  than  $600.  Beyond  Utah,  greenbacks 
should  be  exchanged  for  gold  and  silver. 

On  a  second  trip  to  California,  in  1872,  I  was  impressed,  especially 
on  the  eastern  portion  of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad,  with  the  greater 
number  and  better  style  of  the  houses,  and  the  more  numerous  stores  ; 
among  the  latter  still  predominate,  in  various  combinations  of  wood 
and  cloth,  the  eating  and  drinking  saloons,  which,  without  their  large- 
lettered  signs,  could  readily  be  distinguished  by  the  crowd  of  rosy- 
visaged  idlers  around  the  doors.  As  their  spasmodic  growth  ceased 
with  the  advance  of  the  railroad,  the  towns  settled  down  to  a  much 
smaller  and  permanent  basis,  and  agriculture  took  the  place  of  specu 
lation,  as  shown  by  the  cultivated  fields  and  herds  of  cattle.  The 
fields  hi  June,  along  the  Platte  Valley,  were  uniformly  green,  and 
dotted  with  countless  beautiful,  but  scentless  flowers. 

The  ride  of  the  first  afternoon  from  Omaha  was  very  soothing  to  our 
spirits,  provoked  almost  beyond  endurance  by  the  rough  manner  in 
which  the  "  baggage  smashers "  at  the  Omaha  station  handled  our 
trunks.  This  was  more  marked  on  our  return  in  September,  and,  get 
ting  worse  instead  of  better,  is  a  nuisance  which  should  at  once  be 
stopped.  I  saw  several  trunks  and  chests  split  by  being  thrown,  or 
allowed  to  fall,  a  distance  often  of  two  or  three  feet.  One  gentleman 
I  heard  remonstrating  against  such  reckless  conduct,  but  he  was  met 
only  by  jeers  and  insolence  of  the  brutes  employed  behind  their  safety- 
chains.  The  damage  is  so  great,  and  so  entirely  unnecessary,  that  pa- 


78  THE    WONDERS    OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLEY, 

tience  ceases  to  be  a  virtue  under  such  circumstances.  We  trust  that 
the  Union  Pacific  Company,  who  at  least  have  control  of  the  platform 
in  Omaha,  will  immediately  remedy  this  evil,  and  thus  add  another 
claim  to  the  gratitude  due  them  for  their  admirably  managed  road. 

We  stopped  again  at  Salt  Lake,  and  paid  our  respects  to  Brigham 
Young,  whom  we  found  sadly  changed  and  evidently  suffering  both 
in  body  and  mind ;  the  events  of  the  last  year  have  left  their  mark 
upon  his  iron  constitution  and  determined  face.  "Justice  must  be 
done  though  the  heavens  fall,"  and  he  has  seen  and  no  doubt  has 
rightly  interpreted  the  "writing  on  the  wall";  he  must  feel  that  the 
days  of  Mormonism  cannot  long  outnumber  his  own  years  of  life. 
Large  accessions  now  and  then  apparently  infuse  a  new  vitalizing 
blood  into  the  decaying  system ;  in  fact,  we  met  two  long  special 
trains  filled  with  converts,  of  all  ages  and  both  sexes,  whose  flaxen 
locks  indicated  their  origin  in  Northern  Europe,  going  to  Salt  Lake  ; 
but  these,  were  they  a  hundredfold  more  numerous,  cannot  prevent 
the  speedy  downfall  of  a  creed  repugnant  to  the  moral,  intellectual,  and 
political  instincts  of  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

One  morning,  at  6  o'clock,  we  stopped  at  Truckee,  and  there  took  the 
stage  for  Lake  Tahoe,  about  twelve  miles  distant.  The  trip  takes 
three  hours,  as  the  road  is  in  many  places  steep  and  rough ;  in  spite  of 
the  dust  it  is  pleasant,  as  you  wind  along  the  beautiful  Truckee  River, 
with  fine  and  ever-changing  views  always  before  you. 

One  of  the  sights  on  the  road  is  a  fish-breeding  establishment, 
where  you  can  follow  the  growth  of  the  trout  from  the  whitish  pellucid 
egg,  about  one-fifth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  to  the  recently-hatched 
fish — a  transparent  creature  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long,  with  black 
eye-specks,  and  a  bright  orange  yolk-bag  underneath,  which  supplies 
its  nutriment  for  three  or  four  weeks.  The  eggs  are  placed,  when  a 
week  old,  in  shallow  tanks,  with  gravelly  bottom,  and  protected  from 
light,  through  which  pure  water  from  the  mountains  is  constantly 
flowing.  The  young  are  hatched  in  four  or  five  weeks,  and  in  as  many 
more  become  about  two  and  a  half  inches  long,  when,  the  yolk-bag  is 
absorbed ;  they  are  then  transferred  to  open  ponds,  and  fed  ;  separate 
ponds  are  provided  for  the  different  ages  or  years.  The  ponds  do  not 
communicate,  though  all  are  supplied  from  the  same  source ;  a  food 
well  suited  for  them  is  the  liver  and  lungs  of  sheep,  chopped  fine, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  fish.  The  largest  fish  we  saw  were  four 
years  old,  and  weighed  as  many  pounds ;  they  are  considered  the  best 
a  half-pound  less  than  this,  and  many  of  this  size  are  sent  to  San 
Francisco.  On  the  payment  of  fifty  cents,  you  are  allowed  to  fish  in 
the  larger  ponds,  an  additional  dollar  being  demanded  for  every  trout 
caught.  As  soon  as  the  bait  touches  the  water,  a  score  of  fish  dart  at 
it ;  as  it  is  impossible  not  to  hook  one  instantly,  there  is  no  sport  in 
the  arrangement,  though  it  is  profitable,  as  it  ought  to  be,  to  the  pro 
prietor.  It  was  surprising  to  find  in  the  wilds  of  California  this  branch 
of  industry,  which  in  the  East  is  very  rare,  though  the  facilities  foi-  its 
easy  and  profitable  prosecution  are  there  ample. 

Lake  Tahoe  is  so  large  that  the  eye  cannot  take  in  its  expanse  at 
once;  it  should  be  seen  piecemeal,  and  the  best  way  to  do  this  is  to 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


79 


row  out  Haifa  mile  here  and  there,  and  look  landward  upon  its  beau 
tiful  mountain-surrounded  bays.  There  is  little  beauty  along  its  rough 
and  bare  shores,  and  hence  those  who  see  it  only  from  the  land,  regard 
it  as  inferior  to  the  Swiss  and  Irish  lakes,  and  our  own  Lake  George. 
In  the  deep  and  clear  water,  trout  of  large  size  can  be  plainly  seen,  and 
with  proper  tackle  can  be  easily  caught.  We  tried  it  with  the  lines 
of  the  resident  fishermen,  but  without  much  success,  which  will  not 
be  wondered  at  when  it  is  known  that  they  use  a  cod  line,  big  hook, 
and  heavy  sinker,  rendering  it  almost  impossible  to  hook  a  fish  or  feel 
a  bite,  even  if  the  timid  trout  ventured  to  come  near  such  a  formid 
able  apparatus.  If  you  go  toLakeTahoe  to  fish,  take  along  your  own 
light  but  strong  tackle,  or  you  will  have  no  sport.  The  existence  of 
such  a  large  and  deep  lake,  6,000  feet  above  the  sea,  can  onty  be  ex 
plained  by  its  occupying  the  crater  of  an  extinct  volcano.  The  water 
is  so  pure,  that  it  has  been  proposed  to  convey  it,  over  100  miles,  to 
San  Francisco,  and  it  is  reported  that  engineers  have  made  estimates 
of  the  cost  of  this  difficult  and  expensive  undertaking;  should  it  ever 
be  done,  and  it  seems  impracticable,  even  in  these  days  of  daring  en 
gineering,  the  supply  would  be  inexhaustible,  and  of  the  purest  quality. 

On  our  second  visit  we  took  the  so-called  Coulterville  route  (though 
you  do  not  of  necessity  go  to  Coulterville),  as  sketched  on  page  75  ; 
this,  on  the  whole,  I  consider  the  easiest  and  the  best,  as,  among  other 
advantages,  it  takes  you  near  the  Calaveras  grove,  and  through  the 
Tuolumne  grove  of  big  trees. 

As  our  party  consisted  of  six,  including  two  young  ladies,  almost  a 
stage-load,  we  did  not  dare  to  trust  ourselves  to  the  uncertainty  of  a 
public  conveyance,  and  therefore  hired  at  Stockton  an  easy,  three- 
seated,  covered  wagon,  with  four  horses  and  experienced  driver,  to 
take  us  to  and  from  the  Valley,  the  price,  including  tolls  and  care  and 
food  of  horses  and  driver,  being  $25  a  day. 

We  went  by  rail  to  Milton,  about  30  miles,  starting  at  noon,  and 
arriving  at  half-past  1  P.M.  Our  W7agon  was  there  waiting  for  us, 
having  left  Stockton  the  evening  before.  After  partaking  of  the  most 
greasy,  abominable,  and  ill-served  dinner  we  met  with  in  California, 
we  packed  our  valises  under  the  seats,  and  started  for  Murphy's,  via 
Gibson's,  Altaville,  and  Angels,  26  miles,  arriving  at  8  P.M.  "What 
little  dust  there  was  the  wind  blew  behind  us,  permitting  us  to 
thoroughly  enjoy  the  fine  woodland  scenery,  here  and  there  varied  by 
the  dismal  surroundings  of  old  and  new  mines.  Travellers  now 
escape  the  tedious  and  dusty  day's  ride  from  Stockton  by  stage, 
which,  on  our  first  visit,  was  a  source  of  great  discomfort. 

Early  next  morning  we  started  for  the  Calaveras  grove,  distant 
17  miles,  As  the  route  is  mostly  up  hill,  the  journey  requires  four 
hours.  The  road  skirts  along  a  mountain  stream,  and  is  very 
romantic  and  beautiful,  with,  however,  the  occasional  ugly  diggings, 
flumes,  etc.,  of  deserted  and  working  mines.  After  lunch  we  visited 
the  grove,  a  great  charm  of  which  is  that  the  trees  are  in  so  small  a 

O  '  O 

compass  that  you  can  thoroughly  examine  it  on  foot  in  a  few  hours. 
This  grove,  unlike  the  Mariposa,  is  private  property ;  it  has  been 
sufficiently  described  on  pages  48  and  49.  The  handsomest  and 


8o  THE    WONDERS   OF   THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 

most  symmetrical  tree,  though  not  the  largest,  in  the  grove,  is 
named  "Abraham  Lincoln,"  formerly  called  the  "Hermit";  it  is 
sound  from  root  to  top.  From  "Hercules,"  blown  over  a  few  years 
ago,  a  section  of  wood  has  been  removed,  from  which  are  man 
ufactured  the  various  articles  for  sale  at  the  hotel. 

The  South  Park  Grove,  6  miles  distant,  easily  accessible  on  horse 
back,  contains  nearly  1,400  big  trees,  many  of  them  very  large  ;  one, 
still  standing  and  vigorous,  has  its  interior  burned  out  to  an  extent 
large  enough  to  contain  sixteen  persons  on  horseback. 

We  returned  to  Murphy's  the  same  day,  in  two  and  a  half  hours. 

Next  day,  at  7  A.M.,  we  left  Murphy's,  and,  passing  through  the 
rich  mining  regions  of  Vallecito  and  Columbia  (where  the  Stanislaus 
river  is  crossed  by  ferry-boat,  propelled  along  a  wire  by  the  force  of 
the  current),  arrived  at  Sonora  at  noon,  to  dinner.  This  is  a  very 
bustling  and  thriving  town,  and  the  centre  of  an  extensive  trade  with 
the  mining  locations.  In  the  afternoon  we  crossed  the  Tuolimine 
river,  at  Jacksonville,  on  a  similar  ferry.  This  is  an  important 
mining  district,  and  its  characteristic  scenery  is  well  shown  in  the 
opposite  photograph.  All  travellers  will  remember,  to  their  sorrow, 
the  long  three-mile  hill  before  reaching  Big  Oak  Flat,  where  all  that 
can  are  expected  to  get  out  and  walk  np  the  toilsome  ascent,  for 
which,  however,  they  are  well  repaid  by  the  magnificent  views  of  the 
Tuolumne  Valley,  as  fine  as  that  of  the  American  River  Valley  on  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  obtained  from  Cape  Horn.  We  arrived  at  Garrote 
about  9  P.M.,  and  had  a  good  supper,  in  company  with  a  legion  of 
flies,  in  a  rather  rickety  hotel,  made  tolerable  only  by  the  pleasant 
reception  by  the  landlord. 

Next  day  being  the  glorious  Fourth,  we  decorated  our  horses  and 
Avagon  with  flags,  and  made  the  mountains  echo,  the  pigs,  chickens, 
and  cattle  scamper,  and  the  miners  and  Chinamen  stare,  by  the  toot 
ing  of  a  discordant  fish-horn  by  a  vigorous  pair  of  lunijs.  Starting 

O  ^  <3  1  ~ 

at  8  A.M.,  we  took  along  a  necessary  lunch  to  eat  at  Harden's.  We 
passed  through  Garrote  No.  2,  Sprague's  Ranch,  Little  Gap,  etc., 
over  a  dusty  and  hilly  road,  and  reached  Harden's  in  time  to  assist  at 
the  celebration  of  the  day  with  an  excited  individual,  who  loaded  and 
fired  a  large  anvil  in  place  of  a  cannon.  We  arrived  at  Hodgdon's  at 
4  P.M.,  and,  after  washing  off  the  red  dust,  and  getting  an  excellent 
supper,  duly  observed  the  day  by  sending  up  rockets,  burning  blue 
lights,  exploding  crackers,  and  astonishing  the  pigs  by  pelting  them 
with  torpedoes ;  our  p}rrotechnic  material  we  purchased  at  Sonora. 
An  expert  climber  attached  our  flag  to  a  lofty  pine,  where  it  doubt 
less  still  remains.  The  night  was  so  cool  that  a  fire  was  comfortable. 

At  half-past  eight,  A.M.,  next  day,  we  started  for  the  Valley,  by 
way  of  Crane  Flat,  Tuolumne  Grove,  and  Tamarack  Flat,  to  Gen 
try's,  where  we  arrived  at  half-past  eleven  A.M.,  and,  after  lunch, 
mounted  our  horses  for  the  descent  of  4,000  feet  into  the  Valley ; 
here  we  left  our  wagon,  horses,  and  driver  to  await  our  return. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  about  the  route,  as  there  were  in  our 
party  two  young  ladies,  wholly  inexperienced  in  riding  either  in  a 
hard  wagon  or  on  horseback,  and  to  show  that  the  journey  can  easily 


2—  Q 

MINING  FOR  GOLD  AT  JACKSONVILLE, 

On  the  road  to  the  Yosemite  Valley. 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA.  81 


be  endured  by  any  lady  of  ordinary  strength.  Gentry's  is  within 
half  a  mile  of  the  edge  of  the  Valley ;  hence  by  this  route  there  is 
the  least  amount  of  horseback  riding,  and  no  more  by  stage  than  by 
other  routes.  You  also  pass  through  the  Tuolumne  Grove,  affording 
a  view  of  eight  or  ten  big  trees,  some  of  great  size  and  symmetry, 
which  would  be  regarded  as  wonderful  had  the  traveller  not  visited 
the  Calaveras  Grove.  Two,  called  the  "Siamese  Twins,"  growing 
from  the  same  root,  measure  114  feet  in  circumference,  and  are  high 
in  proportion. 

The  descent  very  soon  begins,  and  it  is  very  steep,  in  some  places 
apparently  dangerous,  and  unnecessarily  and  provokingly  filled  with 
rolling  stones,  projecting  rocks,  stumps,  and  overhanging  boughs, 
which  a  few  hours'  work  a  month  with  a  hoe  and  shovel  would  in 
great  measure  remove,  to  the  great  relief  of  horses  and  riders. 

For  a  first  lesson  in  riding  horseback,  this  is  a  very  hard  one ;  to 
get  through  it  comfortably  and  without  risk,  I  earnestly  advise  ladies 
to  wear  bloomer  suits,  and  to  ride  man-fashion  ;  the  side  saddle  is 
much  harder  for  the  horse,  and  more  dangerous  to  the  rider,  as  the 
weight  is  not  equally  distributed  on  the  two  sides ;  in  riding  astride, 
a  fashion  which  is  coming  into  general  use  in  mountain  climbing,  in 
spite  of  Eastern  prudery,  and  which  I  found  almost  universally 
adopted  in  the  longer  and  more  difficult  journeys  among  the  vol 
canoes  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  sense  of  security  enables  the 
rider  to  relax  her  convulsive  grasp  of  the  pommel  of  the  saddle, 
raise  her  eyes  from  the  imaginary  dangers  of  the  path  before  her,  and 
enjoy  the  grand  mountain,  forest,  and  waterfall  scenery  constantly 
presenting  itself,  which  she  has  come  perhaps  over  3,000  miles  to 
see. 

This  route  has  no  "Inspiration  Point,"  but  it  has  the  not  inferior 
w  Stand  Point  of  Silence  "  on  the  opposite  rim  of  the  Valley,  and  a 
succession  of  views  of  great  beauty.  It  takes  you  very  near  the 
Merced  River ;  the  stupendous  El  Capitan  towers  directly  over  your 
head;  and  the  "Three  Brothers,"  oif  the  north  side,  and  "Cathedral 
Rocks,"  and  "Spires,"  on  the  south,  are  both  much  better  seen  than 
from  the  Mariposa  trail.  The  amount  of  snow  which  fell  last  winter 
was  uncommonly  large,  and  great  masses  remained  in  the  higher  val 
leys  ;  the  falls  were  consequently  very  full,  more  grand  than  usual, 
though  perhaps  not  more  beautiful.  The  "Bridal  Veil"  was  magnifi 
cent  ;  and  on  the  west  side  of  El  Capitan  the  "  Virgin's  Tears  "  cas 
cade,  usually  dried  up  early  in  June,  fell  in  considerable  volume, 
from  a  height  of  about  2,000  feet.  One  must  get  close  to  El  Cap 
itan,  as  this  trail  leads,  in  order  to  appreciate  the  size  and  height  of 
this  grandest  of  rock-masses  on  this  continent,  if  not  in  the  world. 

On  completing  the  toilsome  and  dusty  descent  of  four  miles,  in 
about  two  hours,  you  can,  if  so  disposed,  get  into  a  carriage  and  bo 
driven  to  the  hotels,  for  a  dollar ;  but  most  persons,  emboldened  by 
their  triumphant  descent,  and  desirous  of  trying  a  gallop  on  a  level 
road,  as  a  preparation  for  the  work  of  the  days  to  come,  prefer  to 
ride  their  horses  to  the  hotels,  which,  on  crossing  the  river  on  a  toll- 
bridge,  may  be  reached  in  an  hour's  easy  riding.  On  the  sand  near 
6 


82  THE   WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLET, 

the  river,  our  guide  killed  a  rattlesnake,  which  was  sunning  himself 
in  the  path  ;  he  tore  off  the  tail,  which  bore  eight  rattles.  These  rep 
tiles  are  so  sluggish,  and  give  such  timely  warning,  that  they  are 
easily  avoided  or  easily  killed.  We  saw  two  others  during  our  stay 
iu  the  Valley. 

Ou  going  to  the  Vernal  and  Nevada  falls  the  next  day,  we  rested, 
as  usual,  at  Register  Rock,  and  made  a  visit  to  "Lady  Franklin 
Point,"  close  by,  from  which  the  best  view  of  the  Vernal  fall  is  ob 
tained.  Instead  of  crawling  along  the  slippery,  muddy,  and  mist- 
covered  side  of  the  mountain,  and  ascending  the  old  ladders  to  reach 
the  top  of  the  Vernal  fall,  you  can  now  ride  up,  for  a  consideration, 
over  a  very  steep  and  rough  trail.  It  is  well  to  return  by  the  ladders, 
protecting  ygurself  by  rubber  coverings,  obtained  at  the  hotel  above, 
from  the  driving  spray,  which  otherwise  may  wet  you  thoroughly. 

On  reaching  the  top,  you  come  in  sight  of  the  "Emerald  Pool"  and 
the  "Silver  Chute";  you  soon  cross  a  rude  bridge,  under  which  the 
river  rushes  with  fearful  velocity,  between  narrow,  rocky  sides,  by 
which  it  is  transformed  into  a  snow-white  surging  spray,  flashing  in 
the  sun  like  a  cascade  of  diamond  drops ;  this  is  the  most  beautiful  ot 
the  cascades  between  the  two  falls,  and  is  one  of  the  most  enchanting 
scenes  iu  the  Valley.  Near  the  base  of  the  Nevada  fall  is  a  hotel  kept 
by  a  Mr.  Snow,  which  gives  a  double  significance  to  the  name  of  his 
house,  the  "Casa  Nevada  "  —  a  grim  attempt  at  a  pun,  hardly  to  be 
expected  in  a  region  where  men  undertake  to  "  fix "  the  Nevada 
fall  by  damming  up  some  beautiful  lateral  cascades,  judged  by  some 
soulless  authority  to  be  running  to  waste,  and  to  force  them  into  the 
main  stream — the  price  of  this  piece  of  vandalism  to  be  $500.  Here 
the  rocks  bore  ample  testimony  of  the  force  of  the  earthquake  which 
shook  the  Valley  some  months  before  (see  chapter  on),  in  the  immense 
piles  of  debris,  the  large  areas  of  newly  exposed  surfaces,  and  the 
overhanging  loosened  masses,  some  of  which  fall  almost  every  week. 
The  Nevada  fall  was  so  full,  that  the  peculiar  twist  of  the  water  near 
the  top  was  imperceptible  ;  the  rocket  forms  of  the  water  were  singu 
larly  marked  and  beautiful. 

A  new  and  excellent  trail  has  this  year  been  opened,  from  the  Val 
ley  to  Glaciers  Point  and  Sentinel  Dome,  which  allows  those  who 
have  entered  by  the  northern  route  to  visit  these  remarkable  points, 
obtain  the  fine  views  of  the  Valley  and  the  surrounding  mountains, 
and  return  the  same  day.  It  is  a  fatiguing  ride,  and  the  turns 
are  so  abrupt,  and  often  so  near  the  edge  of  fearful  precipices, 
that  timid  and  nervous  persons  are  sometimes  considerably  frightened, 
and  get  off  and  walk,  especially  if  their  mules,  as  ours  did,  have  a 
trick  of  thrusting  their  heads  over  the  brink,  to  watch  the  movements 
of  their  companions  below.  It  is,  however,  perfectly  safe,  and  by 
far  the  best  trail  in  the  Valley.  We  found  considerable  snow  on  the 
top  of  the  Dome,  and  had  a  lively  game  of  snowball  there,  on  July  7th, 
the  thermometer  in  the  Valley  being  over  80  deg.  Fahr.  A  lonely 
man,  whose  fire  is  seen  glowing  at  night,  resides  near  the  top,  to  col 
lect  toll  from  travellers.  Those  who  wish  to  pass  from  the  Valley,  by 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  83 


the  southern  route,  to  Clark's  and  the  Mariposa  grove,  now  take  this 
trail,  instead  of  the  old  and  longer  one  by  "Inspiration  Point.  " 

The  finest  of  all  the  trips,  possible  this  year  for  the  first  time  to 
everybody,  is  to  "  Cloud's  Kest,"  mentioned  on  page  39  ;  this  is  the 
highest  point  easily  accessible,  and  affords  a  grand  and  very  extensive 
view  of  the  Valley,  domes,  waterfalls,  and  distant  Sierra.  The  easi 
est  way  to  make  this  trip,  which  takes  at  least  two  days,  is  to  go  to 
Snow's  at  the  Nevada  fall,  starting  after  noon,  there  passing  the  night ; 
next  day  on  horseback  to  Cloud's  Rest,  returning  to  Snow's  for  the 
night,  and  back  to  the  Valley  the  next  morning.  The  trip  is  not  diffi 
cult  in  July,  and  you  ride  nearly  to  the  summit  through  woods ;  it 
has  been  made  early  in  the  season,  but  is  dangerous,  on  account  of  the 
ice,  except  for  experienced  climbers.  A  more  difficult  way,  but  more 
enjoyable,  is  to  go  to  the  top  of  the  Nevada  fall  the  first  day,  and 
camp  for  the  night  in  the  little  Yosemite  Valley ;  then  to  the  summit, 
and  back  the  next  day.  One  lady  made  the  former  trip  twice  this  year, 
and  was  not  unusually  fatigued  by  it ;  it  should  be  taken  by  all  who  wish 
to  obtain  the  best  view  of  the  Valley  and  its  surroundings. 

For  strong  and  expert  climbers,  it  is  recommended  to  go  up  Indian 
Canon,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Valley,  ford  the  Yosemite  Creek  as 
near  the  brink  as  is  safe,  and  go  along  the  edge  of  the  Valley  by  Eagle 
Rock  to  El  Capitan,  and  thence  to  Gentry's.  This  is  a  hard  day's  work, 
but  has  been  done  even  by  ladies.  Of  course,  to  make  these  trips  you 
must  have  an  experienced  guide ;  such  a  one  is  Mr.  John  Muir,  who 
has  resided  several  years  in  the  Valley,  knows  every  trail,  rock,  fall, 
and  summit,  and  is,  in  fact,  the  presiding  genius  of  the  Valley,  the  high 
priest  of  this  great  temple  of  nature,  filled  to  overflowing  with  a  love 
and  appreciation  of  its  beauty  and  grandeur,  with  which  he  never  fails  to 
inspire  those  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  form  his  acquaintance  and  se 
cure  his  companionship. 

The  Yosemite  fall,  of  which  a  good  view  is  obtained  from  the  upper 
two  hotels,  was  uncommonly  full  for  the  season, — and  never  more 
beautiful,  as  it  darted  its  watery  rockets,  and  swayed  its  feathery 
whiteness  or  misty  veil,  according  to  the  direction  and  force  of  the 
wind.  The  Illilouette  fall  was  also  of  very  grand  dimensions. 

We  left  the  Valley  by  the  same  trail  that  we  entered  it,  and  found 
the  ascent  more  toilsome  than  the  descent.  Arriving  at  Gentry's  at  4 
P.M.,  we  found  our  wagon  waiting  for  us,  and  proceeded  at  once  to 
Crane  Flat,  where  we  found  an  excellent  supper,  beefsteak  cooked 
on  a  gridiron  instead  of  in  a  frying  pan,  and  comfortable  beds  ;  near 
this  place  the  Coulterville  route  proper  branches  off  from  Hardeu's. 
Next  day,  at  7  A.M.,  we  started,  arriving  at  Bovver's  Cave  at  10  ;  we 
spent  an  hour  here  at  lunch  and  in  the  insignificant  cave,  and  reached 
Coulterville  at  2  P.M.  The  road  was  very  rough  in  some  places,  as 
well  as  steep  and  dangerously  narrow,  but  for  the  most  part  through 
pleasant  woods ;  the  town  was  the  most  forlorn  one,  I  think,  that  we 
passed  through. 

Finding  that  the  usual  route  by  Sne  11  ing's  and  Merced  to  the  branch 
of  the  Central  Pacific  road  took  us  far  out  of  our  way,  to  the  south, 
we  started  at  4  A.M,  for  Oakdale,  nearly  west,  where  we  arrived,  via 


84  THE   WONDERS   OF   THE    YO  SEMITE    VALLEY, 

Lebright's,  Lagrange,  Roberts's,  and  Martin's  at  1  1-2  P.M.  After 
dinner  we  took  the  cars  at  2-10  on  the  Visalia  branch  road,  and  reached 
Stockton  at  4-15  P.M  —  passing  through  a  region  rich  in  large  fields 
of  golden  wheat,  which  the  machines  were  cutting  wherever  we  looked. 
Next  day  we  started  for  San  Francisco,  distant  91  miles. 


WINTER  IN  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

Most  persons  naturally  suppose  that  the  residents  of  the  Valley  in 
the  winter  are  cut  off  from  all  communication  with  the  outside  world, 
and  must  suffer  greatly  from  cold,  if  not  from  hunger.  We  now  know, 
from  the  experience  of  Mr.  John  Muir,  that  there  is  not  only  no  hard 
ship  in  passing  a  winter  there,  but  positive  enjoyment  for  anyone  who 
can  appreciate  beauty  in  nature.  As  the  number  of  visitors  annually 
increases,  and  better  accommodations  are  provided,  no  doubt  some 
will  be  induced  to  spend  a  winter  in  the  Valley ;  in  1870,  the  visitors 
numbered  1,700;  in  1871,  2,150;  in  1872,  at  least  2,700;  but  all 
leave  by  the  middle  of  November,  for  fear  of  being  snowed  in.  In 
the  winter  of  1871— '72,  26  persons  remained  in  the  Valley,  of  whom 
two  were  women,  and  six  children ;  there  were  also  two  Digger  In 
dians.  The  employments  are  getting  out  lumber,  and  building ;  — 
the  amusements,  petty  quarrels  by  day,  whiskey,  card  and  story 
telling  sociables  by  night. 

After  the  last  travellers  left,  the  weather  was  very  fine,  the  ther 
mometer  ranging  to  70  degrees  Fahrenheit  at  noon,  though  the  nights 
were  frosty.  The  first  snow  storm  was  on  November  24th,  followed  by 
a  three  days'  rain  ;  the  rain  and  melting  snow  gave  rise  to  innumerable 
cascades,  many  of  them  equalling  the  summer  falls,  and  of  course  the 
great  falls  were  very  much  increased.  At  this  season  immense  masses 
of  rock,  disintegrated  by  the  slow  and  silent  action  of  the  summer, 
loosened  by  the  first  rains,  descend  with  a  noise  like  thunder  into  the 
Valley,  crushing  trees  to  splinters,  and  masking  for  the  time  the  roaring 
of  the  cataracts.  A  foot  of  snow  often  falls  in  a  night,  and  the  beauty 
which  is  thus  given  to  the  rocks  and  domes,  trees  and  bushes,  can  be 
imagined  from  the  common  snow  scenery  of  our  Northern  winters. 
Splendid  avalanches  from  the  surrounding  peaks  greet  the  eye  ;  the 
highest  coming  from  Cloud's  Rest,  with  an  unbroken  fall  of  5,000 
feet. 

From  Mr.  Muir's  observations  last  winter,  we  know  that  for  the 
month  ending  December  25,  1871,  the  highest  morning  temperature 
was  42  degrees  Fahrenheit  —  the  lowest  13  degrees,  the  average  33 
degrees ;  the  highest  noon  temperature  55  degrees,  the  lowest  34  de 
grees,  the  average  39  degrees ;  the  snow-fall  for  the  period  being  41 
inches,  and  the  rain-fall  21  inches.  From  January  1  to  24,  1872,  the 
average  sunrise  temperature  was  32  degrees,  the  highest  being  36  de 
grees,  the  lowest  22  degrees ;  the  average  noon  temperature  was  40 
degrees,  the  highest  52  degrees,  the  lowest  32  degrees.  During  this 
period  there  were  many  of  what  Mr.  Muir  calls  "  wind  cataracts,"  so 
powerful  as  on  one  occasion  to  arrest  the  flow  of  the  Yosemite  Fall  at 


SENTINEL  ROCK. 

3270  feet  high. 


Q 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  85 


one-half  its  height  for  three  minutes,  the  water  apparently  suspended 
in  mid-air  by  a  violent  horizontal  current,  driving  the  water  away 
from  the  eye  of  the  observer. 

From  February  1  to  14,  the  average  sunrise  temperature  was  29  de 
grees,  the  highest  37  degrees,  the  lowest  23  degrees;  the  average 
noon  temperature  40£  degeess,  the  highest  49  degrees,  the  lowest  34 
degrees.  The  snow-fall  was  3  inches,  the  rain-fall  2.37  inches ;  three 
days  were  rainy,  three  cloudy,  two  snowy,  the  rest  fine  and  sunny. 
Frogs  croaked  every  night  in  the  meadows ;  upon  the  warm  slopes  of 
the  northern  wall  young  grasses  were  an  inch  high,  the  cedars  shed 
ding  their  pollen,  the  early  willows  pushing  out  their  catkins,  and 
azalea  buds  opening ;  flies  and  moths  were  dancing  in  the  sun,  and  the 
ants  and  their  enemies  busy  —  and  this  when  the  south  side  of  the 
Valley  was  covered  with  snow,  and  bleak  New  England  with  not  a  sign 
of  spring. 

From  February  14  to  March  14,  the  average  sunrise  temperature 
was  30  degrees,  the  highest  46  degrees,  the  lowest  15  degrees ;  the 
average  noon  temperature  46  degrees,  the  highest  62  degrees,  the 
lowest  36  degrees  ;  the  snow-fall  was  14^  inches,  the  rain-fall  3  inches. 
The  lowest  observed  temperature  of  last  winter,  9  degrees  Fahren 
heit  ;  the  sunrise  temperature  of  the  northern,  does  not  vary  much  from 
that  of  the  southern  side ;  but  the  noon  temperature  of  the  northern, 
in  clear  sunny  weather,  is  20  degrees  higher  than  that  of  the  southern. 
Owing  to  different  heights  and  angles  of  various  parts  of  the  Valley 
walls,  and  the  irregular  form  of  the  bottom,  both  sides  have  several 
well-marked  climates ;  the  delta  at  the  base  of  Indian  Canon  is  the 
warmest,  both  in  winter  and  in  summer.  In  the  middle  of  March, 
1872,  the  weather  was  delightful ;  the  willows  were  in  full  bloom,  and 
the  manzauita  bells  purple,  and  almost  ripe  ;  the  sedges  along  some  of 
the  meadows  were  six  or  eight  inches  high ;  flies,  bugs,  and  three 
species  of  butterflies  were  active,  and  many  robins,  sparrows,  jays, 
woodpeckers  and  kingfishers  were  busily  engaged  in  searching  for  their 
favorite  food.  In  the  bottom  of  the  Valley  were  numerous  lakelets 
and  shallow  ponds,  small  and  irregular,  whose  surface  reflected,  as  in 
a  mirror,  the  rocks,  and  peaks,  and  falls,  making  it  difficult  to  distin 
guish  the  lower  and  the  mock  Yosemite  from  the  upper  and  real  one. 

These  observations  on  the  weather  were  taken  by  Mr.  Muir,  at 
Black's  Hotel,  in  the  Valley. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  get  into  and  out  of  the  Valley  in  winter,  nor  to 
make  excursions  about  it ;  Indian  women,  with  children  on  their  backs, 
go  in  and  out  of  the  Valley  in  every  winter  month.  The  hardships  of 
winter  life  here  are  purely  imaginary ;  school  children  in  New  Eng 
land  are  more  exposed  in  an  ordinary  snow-storm.  For  the  last  three 
winters  the  snow  has  never  been  more  than  two  feet  deep,  and  on  an 
average  not  more  than  eight  inches ;  the  ground  is  often  bare  every 
month  on  the  north  side,  though  on  the  mountains  and  around  the  top 
of  the  Valley,  it  may  be  10  feet  deep.  It  would  be  as  easy  to  keep 
open  a  sleigh  road  by  Hardeu's  and  Big  Oak  Flat,  over  an  extent  of 
15  miles,  as  in  Northern  New  Hampshire  or  Vermont;  by  the  river 


86  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO  SEMITE    VALLEY, 

trail  the  suovv-belt  is  not  more  than  6  miles  long,  and  is  easily  passed 
on  foot. 

The  ice  scenery  about  falls — with  which  we  are  familiar  at  Niagara — 
at  the  base  of  the  upper  Yosemite,  is  singularly  beautiful.  Mr.  Muir 
describes  an  ice  cone,  on  the  last  of  January,  which  was  about  200  feet 
high,  with  a  diameter  of  600  feet  at  the  base;  it  was  truncated,  and 
the  side  next  the  rock  wall  deeply  flattened  ;  into  a  tolerably  regular 
mouth  poured  the  whole  water  column  of  the  fall,  escaping  by  sev 
eral  jagged  openings  at  the  bottom,  which,  meeting  again  about  150 
yards  down  the  canon,  continued  as  splendid  cascades  to  the  lower 
fall.  This  ice  cone  he  attempted  to  scale  —  a  perilous  adventure  — 
which  he  was  prevented  from  accomplishing  only  by  the  fragile  char 
acter  of  the  ice,  and  the  occurrence  of  strong  wind  blasts. 

This  experienced  mountain  climber  finds  the  winter  the  most  beau 
tiful  and  most  enjoyable  period  of  the  year.  He  glories  in  such  ex 
ploits  as  ascending  the  Glacier  Canon  in  mid-winter.  On  one  occasion, 
having  safely  passed  through  the  dangers  of  falling  rocks,  avalanches, 
and  icicles,  he  found  himself  near  the  top  of  the  canon,  at  a  point 
where  ten  minutes  in  summer  would  have  enabled  him  to  reach  the 
summit ;  but  he  could  get  no  higher  by  wading,  or  swimming,  in  the 
mealy  snow,  which  was  like  a  quicksand  under  him ;  and,  night  com 
ing  on,  he  was  forced  to  return,  but  by  a  kind  of  locomotion  best 
described  in  his  own  words:  "Hawthorne  speaks  of  the  railroad  as  a 
spiritualize!'  of  travel ;  but,  despite  the  springs  and  cushions  that  are 
slipped  between  our  bodies  and  the  iron  wheels,  modern  travel  is 
anything  but  spiritual ;  and  since  my  Yosemite  locomotion  in  the 
meal  of  Glacier  Canon,  even  the  flapping  progress  of  the  birds  seems 
coarse.  I  cast  myself  upon  my  back,  feet  foremost,  and  moved  away 
through  space,  softly  as  a  cloud.  The  snow  gave  no  sound  from 
pressure,  and  on  I  sailed,  noiseless  and  effortless,  over  logs,  and 
rocks,  and  woven  chapparal,  as  unbruised  and  unjolted  as  a  full- 
grown  thistle-seed  in  a  sunny  wind.  Let  Hawthornes  choose  for 
spiritual  travel  their  wheels,  and  cushions,  and  wheezing  steam ;  my 
choice  shall  always  be  a  slant  of  mountain  snow."  He  gained  the  top 
on  another  trial,  a  week  afterward,  and  beheld  a  scene  of  winter 
mountain  magnificence  rarely  seen  by  mortal  eyes. 

Another  giory  of  the  Yosemite  in  winter  is  the  singularly  bright 
white  light  emitted  by  the  crystals  of  snow,  as  they  eddy  about  the 
rocks  and  trees.  Writes  Mr.  Muir:  "A  tall  fir,  arrow-like  and  snow- 
laden,  clearly  set  forth  against  the  blue  sky,  would  suddenly  burst 
into  white  tire,  so  dense,  so  pure,  so  intense,  that  the  whole  tree 
seemed  to  have  changed  to  molten  silver,  in  trunk  and  branches. 
Sometimes  the  brightness  would  begin  at  the  centre,  deepening  like 
a  slow  pulsation,  and,  dissipating  in  crystal  dust,  strangely  leave  the 
tree  dark  and  unchanged  in  its  old  terrestrial  body." 

Christmas  holidays  arc  generally  but  little  observed  in  the  Valley ; 
last  winter  the  children  weiv  presented  with  a  few  trinkets  from  Santa 
Clans,  and  crusted  cakes  were  mysteriously  dropped  in  bachelors' 
cabins  ;  but,  "  upon  the  whole,"  writes  our  friend,  "our  holidays  were 
sorry,  unhilarious,  whiskified  affairs.  A  grand  intercampul  Christmas 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA.  87 


dinner  was  devised,  on  a  scale  and  style  becoming  our  peerless  Valley. 
Heaps  of  solemn  substantiate  were  to  be  lighted  and  broidered  with 
cookies,  and  banked  by  countless  cakes  as  big  as  boulders ;  and  a 
craggy,  trough-shaped  pie  was  planned,  the  chief  ornament  of  the 
feast,  which  was  to  have  formed  a  rough  model  of  Yoseinite,  with 
domes  of  duff  and  foils  of  gravy.  It  was  all  very  well  conceived,  but 
alas  !  like  all  other  lady  less  feasts,  it  was  a  failure." 


88  THE  WONDERS  OF  THE  TOSEMITE  VALLET. 

THE  RECENT  EARTHQUAKE  IN  YOSEMITE. 

Readers  of  the  preceding  pages  will  remember  the  many  proofs  of 
old  and  existing  volcanic  eruptions  in  the  region  of  the  Sierras ; 
and  recently  there  has  been  in  this  region  some  severe  earthquake  dis 
turbance.  The  earth  has  been  rent  in  long  and  deep,  but  narrow, 
fissures ;  rocks,  trees,  animals  and  dwellings  have  been  swallowed  up 
or  destroyed,  and  great  destruction  of  property,  and  not  a  little  ter 
ror,  have  been  the  result  of  these  tremblings,  which  even  now  have 
not  ceased. 

Confining  ourselves  here  to  the  Valley,  the  following  information 
has  been  communicated  to  a  friend  by  a  gentleman  who  has  passed 
the  winter  there :  On  the  twenty-sixth  of  March,  1872,  at  about 
2$  A.M.,  the  first  shock  occurred,  shaking  people  out  of  bed,  lasting 
about  three  minutes,  with  undiminished  energy,  and  with  considerable 
movement  of  the  surface.  At  first  nothing  was  heard  but  an  unusual 
agitation  of  the  trees,  but  after  about  a  minute  a  tremendous  crash 
was  heard  on  the  south  side  of  the  Valley,  opposite  Yosemite  Falls ; 
Eagle  Rock  had  fallen  from  a  height  of  2,000  feet,  and  was  pouring 
an  avalanche  of  boulders  over  precipices,  and  through  the  forests  of 
firs  and  spruces,  filling  the  Valley  with  dust  and  with  countless  rever 
berations.  The  sky  was  clear  and  the  moon  bright,  so  that  everything 
could  be  plainly  seen;  the  trees  were  strangely  agitated,  and  the 
croaking  of  the  frogs  in  the  meadows,  for  a  time,  silenced.  The  river 
soon  after  was  found  to  be  muddy,  from  portions  of  its  banks  having 
been  shaken  into  it,  but  otherwise  showed  no  signs  of  the  agitation  to 
which  it  must  have  been  subjected. 

This  shock  was  followed,  at  intervals  of  a  few  minutes,  by  sharp 
concussions,  each  attended  by  gentle  undulations  and  deep  rumbling 
sounds.  A  second  well-defined  shock,  about  an  hour  after  the  first, 
was  followed  by  another  avalanche  of  rocks  from  the  region  of  Eagle 
Rock.  A  third  severe  shock  occurred  soon  after  sunrise,  of  less  vio 
lence  than  the  preceding. 

Rocks  of  small  size,  up  to  those  30  feet  in  diameter,  formed,  from 
this  cause,  a  long  rough  slope  at  the  foot  of  the  vertical  walls ;  many 
trees  were  destroyed,  some  four  feet  in  diameter,  cut  and  bruised,  and 
thrown  about  like  straws  ;  some  had  their  tops  cuts  off  100  feet  from 
the  ground  by  the  flying  rocks.  Other  avalanches  occurred  in  Indian 
and  Illilouette  canons,  and  on  the  west  side  of  the  Cap  of  Liberty. 
Innumerable  shocks  occurred  on  the  following  day,  and  all  were  ob 
served  to  progress  from  the  north  to  the  south,  with  a  few  from  the 
east.  The  walls  of  the  Valley  are  not  disfigured,  the  only  noticeable 
changes  being  some  patches  of  fresh  rock  surface,  and  some  new  spires 
and  fronts  where  Eagle  Rock  fell.  The  shocks  were  noticed  till  late 
in  April,  and  perhaps  later,  and  their  consequences  cannot  fail  to  add 
a  new  interest  to  the  sights  in  the  Valley  for  the  visitors  of  1872. 


LITTLE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY.  '|*J}v 

'•*--  "    «rv 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA.  89 


THE   YOSEMITE  GLACIERS. 

THEEE  have  lately  come  to  my  knowledge  some  interesting,  and  I 
think,  conclusive  observations  as  to  the  former  great  extent  of  the 
glacier  system  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Yosemite  Valley.  They  seem  to  throw  light  upon  the  causes 
which  formed  the  Valley,  or  rather,  by  way  of  exclusion,  upon  the 
forces  which  did  not  form  it.  Before  giving  these  observations,  which 
have  recently  been  made  by  Mr.  John  Muir,  a  gentleman  who  has 
made  the  region  of  Yosemite  his  study  for  years,  and  who  records  thus 
his  personal  examinations,  it  may  be  well  to  say  a  few  words  on  the 
physical  configuration  of  the  region,  that  the  force  of  his  remarks  may 
be  better  appreciated. 

In  all  this  immense  region,  with  a  radius  of  fifteen  miles  at  least, 
there  are  now  no  proper  glaciers,  though  there  are  large  accumula 
tions  of  snow  upon  the  higher  crests,  and  in  their  valleys,  whose  melt 
ing  in  the  summer  gives  rise  to  the  magnificent  cataracts  of  the 
Yosemite  Valley.  The  rocks,  as  every  traveller  there  knows,  are 
smoothed  and  polished  to  the  very  edge  of  the  Valley,  showing  the 
former  existence  of  an  immense  sheet  of  ice.  What  ordinary  travel 
lers  saw  on  a  limited  scale,  Mr.  Muir  has  examined  on  a  very  large 
scale,  having  traversed  the  upper  Sierra  in  all  directions,  and  ascer 
tained  the  existence  of  a  glacier  system,  frequently  alluded  to  in  the 
"Geology  of  California"  published  by  the  State,  whose  size  and  di 
rection  had  previously  been  rather  guessed  at  than  determined.  That 
there  are  no  glaciers  there,  as  in  the  Alps,  and  comparatively  little 
snow  remaining  till  summer,  is  accounted  for  by  its  rapid  evaporation 
in  the  very  dry  air  of  these  high  ranges.  Not  only  are  grooved  pol- 
ishings  found,  but  well-marked  moraines  in  the  higher  part  of  the 
range  ;  but  they  do  not  exist  to  any  great  extent  in  the  Valley  proper, 
though  they  are  traced  far  down  the  three  great  canons  at  the  eastern 
end,  the  Tenaya,  Merced  or  Nevada,  and  Illilouette  or  South  Canons. 
There  is  a  well-marked  median  moraine  from  the  union  of  the  Nevada 
and  Tenaya  glaciers,  on  the  north  side  of  the  Merced  river,  near  the 
hotels — well  rounded,  and  now  overgrown  with  large  trees.  The 
markings  indicate  a  former  glacier  extending  from  Mt.  Dana  and  Mt. 
Lyell,  13,000  feet  high,  fifteen  miles  in  length,  and  more  than  a  mile 
thick  to  the  edge  of  the  Valley ;  these  marks  are  plain  on  the  Sentinel 
dome,  4,150  feet  above  the  Valley,  and  there  is  in  the  cabinet  of  the 
Boston  Society  of  Natural  History,  a  slab  from  Tenaya  Canon  polished 
by  the  ice,  brought  home  by  Mr.  Waterston.  This  glacier  filled  the 
upper  or  little  Yosemite  Valley,  a  counterpart  of  the  larger  one,  but 
2,000  feet  higher,  communicating  with  it  above  the  Nevada  fall,  the 
main  stream  of  the  Merced  river  flowing  through  both.  Also,  a  glacier 
passed  down  the  Illilouette  Canon  from  the  Obelisk  group  to  the  edge 
of  the  great  Valley.  It  has  been  generally  assumed  that  the  land  at 


po  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TOSEMITE    VALLEY, 

the  head  of  the  Merced  river  was  not  high  enough  for  the  formation  of  a 
glacier  into  the  Valley. 

Now  comes  the  question,  which  Mr.  Muir  discusses :  Was  the 
Valley  once  occupied  by  a  glacier? 

The  following  are  Mr.  Muir's  observations,  almost  in  his  own 
words,  in  a  recent  letter : 

"  I  have  been  over  my  glacial  territory,  and  am  surprised  to  find 
that  it  is  so  small  and  fragmentary.  The  work  of  ancient  ice,  which 
we  proposed  to  christen  '  glacial  system  of  the  Merced,'  is  only  a  fe\v 
tiny  topmost  branches  of  one  tree  in  a  vast  glacial  forest.  The 
Merced  ice  basin  was  bounded  by  the  summits  of  the  main  range, 
and  by  the  spurs  which  once  reached  to  the  summits,  viz.,  the  Hoff 
man  and  Obelisk  ranges.  In  this  basin  not  one  island  existed,  for  all 
of  its  highest  peaks  were  overflowed  by  the  ice,  Mt.  Starr  King, 
South  Dome,  and  all.  Vast  ice  currents  broke  over  into  the  Merced 
basin  from  the  Tuolumne,  and  most  of  this  Tuolumne  ice  had  to  cross 
the  Tuolumne  Canon. 

"It  is  only  the  vastness  of  the  glacial  pathways  of  this  region,  that 
prevents  their  being  seen  and  comprehended  at  once.  A  scholar 
might  be  puzzled  with  the  English  alphabet,  if  it  were  written  large 
enough,  and  if  each  Tetter  were  made  up  of  smaller  ones. 

"  The  beds  of  these  vast  ice-rivers  are  veiled  with  forests,  and  a 
network  of  small  water  channels.  Yosemite  was  completely  over 
whelmed  with  glaciers,  and  they  did  not  come  down  gropingly  to  the 
main  valley  of  the  Merced  by  the  narrow,  angular,  tortuous  canons  of 
Tenaya,  Nevada  and  Illilouette,  but  they  flowed  grandly  and  directly 
above  all  of  its  highest  domes,  like  a  steady  stream,  while  their  lower 
currents  went  mazing  down  in  the  crooked  and  dome-blocked  chan 
nels  of  canons. 

"Glaciers  have  made  every  mountain  form  of  this  whole  region; 
even  the  summit  mountains  are  only  fragments  of  their  pre-glacial 
selves.  The  summits  enclosing  the  basins  of  the  glaciers  are  steeper 
on  the  north  than  on  the  south  side,  on  account  of  the  greater  depth 
and  duration  of  the  ice  sheltered  from  the  sun  ;  and  this  difference  in 
steepness  between  the  north  and  south  sides  of  summits  is  greater  in 
the  lower,  as  those  of  the  Obelisk  group.  Such  mountains  as  Starr 
King,  Cloud's  Rest,  Cathedral  Peak,  etc.,  do  not  come  under  this 
general  law,  as  their  contours  were  determined  by  the  ice  which 
flowed  about  and  above  them ;  but  even  among  these  inter-basin 
mountains  we  frequently  find  a  marked  difference  in  steepness  be 
tween  their  north  and  south  sides,  because  many  of  the  higher  of 
these,  and  crests  extending  east  and  west,  continued  to  shelter  and 
to  nourish  fragmentary  small  glaciers  long  after  the  disappearance  of 
the  main  stream  to  which  they  belonged. 

"  In  ascending  any  of  the  principal  streams  of  this  region,  lakes  in 
all  stages  of  decay  are  found  in  great  abundance,  gradually  becoming 
smaller  and  more  recent  until  we  reach  the  almost  countless  ones  of 
the  summits.  Upon  the  main  Merced  and  its  branches  there  are  not 
less  than  a  hundred  of  these  lakes,  from  a  mile  to  a  hundred  yards  in 
diameter,  with  many  more  of  much  smaller  size.  Both  Yosemite  and 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


Hetch-Hetchy  valleys  are  lake  basiiis  filled  with  sand,  and  the  matter 
of  moraines  abundantly  and  rapidly  supplied  by  their  swift  descend 
ing  rivers  from  upper  moraines. 

''  The  mountains  above  Yosemite  have  scarcely  been  touched  by 
any  other  denudation  than  that  of  ice ;  perhaps  all  of  the  post-glacial 
denudation  of  every  kind  would  not  average  an  inch  in  thickness  for 
the  whole  region.  I  am  surprised  to  find  that  water  has  had  so  little 
to  do  with  mountain  structure  in  this  region.  None  of  the  upper 
Merced  streams  give  record  of  floods  greater  than  those  of  to-day. 
A  cross  section  of  the  glacial  and  water  basin  of  the  Nevada  branch 
of  the  Merced,  a  few  miles  above  the  little  Yosemite,  shows  glacial 
striae,  clear  and  unwashed,  with  undisturbed  glacial  drift  nearly  to  the 
water  channel  of  the  river,  whose  perpendicular  walls  are  about  two 
feet  deep ;  this  stream  even  in  flood  was  never  more  than  five  feet  in 
depth,  showing  a  water  area,  as  compared  with  the  ice  stream,  utterly 
insignificant." 

With  the  light  of  Mr.  Muir's  observations,  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
formation  of  this  valley  could  not  have  been  due  to  the  action  of 
water  or  of  ice. 

The  characteristic  feature  of  this  valley  is  the  concentric  structure 
of  the  granite,  as  seen  in  the  "  Domes  "  and  "  Arches."  The  views  of 
Prof.  Whitney,  who  has  given  this  region  more  study  than  any  other 
geologist,  have  already  been  given  on  page  33.  That  the  peculiar  ap 
pearance  of  these  dome-like  structures,  very  general  in  this  portion 
of  the  Sierra,  is  not  the  result  of  ice  or  water  action,  is  shown  by  the 
overlapping  of  these  concentric  granite  plates  overhanging  the  valley, 
and  causing  the  enormous  cavities  or  "Arches,"  left  by  the  fall  of  the 
masses  from  the  action  of  the  frost  and  the  elements,  at  the  present 
time  high  above  the  reach  of  ice  or  water. 

According  to  Mr.  Muir,  as  taken  from  his  published  and  unpub 
lished  letters  to  newspapers  and  friends,  there  were  in  the  Merced 
basin, — bounded  by  the  ridge  extending  from  Mt.  Lyell,  northwest 
erly  to  the  Cathedral  Peak  and  to  Mt.  Hoffman  ;  by  a  shorter  parallel 
ridge  about  eight  miles  to  the  westward,  running  also  northwesterly  to 
Mt.  Clark,  of  the  Obelisk  group ;  and  a  connecting  ridge  running  a 
little  east  of  north  to  Mt.  Lyell,  this  last  being  the  divide  between 
the  tributaries  of  the  Merced  river  on  the  north,  and  the  San  Joaquin 
on  the  south,  an  area  ten  miles  square  on  each  side  of  the  middle  or 
Nevada  Canon  of  the  Yosemite  Valley  —  there  were  three  great  cen 
tral  glaciers,  named  respectively  from  the  south  northward:  1.  The 
Nevada,  coming  clown  the  cation  of  that  name,  through  the  little  or 
upper  Yosemite  Valley,  in  which  now  flows  the  main  stream  of  the 
Merced  with  the  Nevada  and  the  Vernal  falls,  flowing  in  a  generally 
west  direction  from  the  Lyell  group,  and  about  twelve  miles  long. 
2.  The  Tenaya,  in  the  canon  of  that  name,  coming  down  by  Cloud's 
llest,  and  leaving  as  its  most  beautiful  traces  the  Tenaya  and  Mirror 
lakes  —  flowing  in  a  southwesterly  direction  from  the  Cathedral  Peak 
and  the  neighboring  summits,  of  about  the  same  size  at  the  Nevada 
glacier.  3.  The  Hoffman  glacier,  from  the  easterly  slope  of  the 
mountain  of  that  name,  coming  into  the  Valley  by  Indian  Caiion,  the 


92  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    TO  SEMITE    VALLET, 

North  Dome,  and  the  Glacier  Canon.  The  marks  left  by  these 
glaciers,  miles  in  length  and  width,  and  thousands  of  feet  in  thick 
ness,  are  now  the  polished  surfaces,  the  smoothed  domes,  the  exten 
sive  moraines,  the  beautiful  lakes,  and  the  green  meadows  —  the 
striae  and  grooves  are  mostly  obliterated  by  the  frosts  and  the  rains 
and  the  streams  of  centuries,  except  in  a  few  protected,  small,  and 
hardly  accessible  places. 

The  fourth  great  ice  stream  which  flowed  to  the  Yosemite  Valley, 
was  the  glacier  which  filled  the  basin  of  the  Yosemite  Creek  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Valley,  from  which  now  descends  on  the  edge  the 
beautiful  Yosemite  Fall,  2,000  feet  high.  This  basin  has  been  thor 
oughly  examined  by  Mr.  Muir,  who  estimates  its  glacier  as  having 
been  fifteen  miles  long,  five  wide  in  the  middle,  and  in  many  places 
1,000  feet  deep  —  uniting  with  the  central  glacier  in  the  Valley  by  a 
mouth  extending  from  the  east  side  of  El  Capitan  to  Yosemite  Point, 
east  of  the  falls,  a  distance  about  four  miles  ;  on  the  north  flowed 
by  the  great  Tuolumne  glacier  from  Mt.  Dana  and  its  range,  the 
mightiest  of  these  ice-rivers.  It  came  from  the  western  and  south 
western  slopes  of  Mt.  Hoffman,  and  the  main  stream  flowed  nearly 
south ;  it  had  several  branch  basins  among  the  higher  spurs  of  this 
range,  flowing  to  the  east,  now  abounding  in  small  clear  lakes,  set  in 
the  solid  granite,  without  the  usual  terminal  moraine  clam.  The 
north  sides  of  these,  and  most  of  the  spurs  and  ranges  in  this  portion 
of  the  Sierra,  as  long  since  noticed  by  Prof.  Whitney,  are  very  steep 
compared  with  the  southern,  and  as  the  spurs  here  mainly  run  east 
and  west,  their  glaciers  were  deeper,  more  sheltered  from  the  sun, 
and  therefore  longer  lived  than  the  main  stream ;  the  result  is  small 
glacier  action,  little  detritus,  and  a  quiet  melting  into  clear  lakes, 
with  comparatively  small  borders  of  the  meadows  so  characteristic  of 
the  disappearance  of  the  lower  glaciers.  Though  the  declivity  and 
rate  of  progress  of  some  of  the  tributaries  were  great,  the  main 
stream,  according  to  Mr.  Muir,  was  rather  level,  and  in  one  part  of 
its  course  compelled  to  make  a  considerable  ascent ;  to  this  fact  of 
levelness,  width  at  mouth,  and  overwhelming  power  of  the  concen 
trated  central  glaciers,  he  attributes  in  great  measure  the  present 
height  of  the  Yosemite  Falls.  The  main  stream  of  the  Merced  river, 
flowing  through  a  narrow  and  deep  canon,  has  in  its  course  the  thun 
dering  Nevada  and  Vernal  falls  ;  while  the  wide  and  gently  sloping 
Yosemite  basin  conducts  its  stream  almost  noiselessly  and  with  com 
parative  smoothness  till  it  makes  its  final  and  only  feathery  plunge  of 
half  a  mile  vertical  descent  into  the  Valley. 

Looking  into  the  Yosemite  glacier  basin  from  any  of  its  surround 
ing  domes,  you  see  many  small  patches  of  dark  forests,  apparently  in 
close  contact  with  bare  rock,  which  mark  the  places  of  the  fragment 
ary  moraines  of  the  basin,  as  later  eroding  agents  have  not  had  time 
to  form  a  soil  thick  enough  for  the  general  growth  seen  in  the  Valley 
itself.  Wherever,  says  Mr.  Muir,  a  deep  tributary  was  laid  against  a 
narrow  ridge,  sheltered  from  the  sun  by  surrounding  rocks,  there  are 
invariably  found  one  or  more  small  terminal  moraines ;  melted  off 
from  the  main  trunk,  with  an  independent  and  longer  duration,  their 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


93 


moraines  are  left  entire,  because  the  water  basins  above  them  do  not 
furnish  streams  large  enough  to  wash  them  away,  as  is  the  case  in 
the  moraines  of  the  canons  and  deeper  water-courses.  In  the  basins 
of  exposed  tributaries  there  are  no  terminal  moraines,  as  their  gla 
ciers  disappeared  with  the  main  stream.  He  says,  "Medial  and  lat 
eral  moraines  are  common  upon  all  the  outside  slopes,  some  of  them 
nearly  perfect  in  form ;  but  down  in  the  main  basin  there  is  not  left 
one  unaltered  moraine  of  any  kind,  immense  floods  having  washed 
down  and  levelled  them  into  border  meadows  for  the  present  stream, 
and  into  sandy  flower-beds  and  fields  for  forests." 

Between  the  three  upper  tributaries  of  the  Yosemite  basin  glacier, 
he  found  well-defined  medial  moraines,  these  having  been  preserved 
from  levelling  floods  by  their  position  on  the  higher  slopes,  with  only 
small  water  collections  behind  them.  Down  at  their  junction,  where 
they  were  swept  round  by  the  main  stream,  is  a  large  level  field  of 
moraine  matter,  which,  like  all  the  drift  fields  of  this  basin,  is  cov 
ered  with  a  dense  forest  of  pines  and  firs,  the  summit  forests  being 
composed  almost  entirely  of  a  thickly-growing  and  pitch-covered 
pine.  The  domes  of  this  upper  basin  present  the  same  concentric 
structure  and  perpendicular  cleavage  already  alluded  to  in  the  North 
and  the  Half-Dome  of  the  Valley.  Next  west  of  the  Yosemite  basin, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  Valley,  is  the  Ribbon  stream  basin,  in  which 
now  runs  the  stream  flowing  into  the  Valley  west  of  El  Capitan  by 
the  Virgin's  Tears  Fall,  dried  up  so  early  in  the  summer  that  it  is 
rarely  seen  by  travellers.  This  basin,  Mr.  Muir  found,  was  occu 
pied  by  a  glacier,  flowing  nearly  south,  about  four  miles  long  and 
three  wide,  joining  the  central  glacier  west  of  El  Capitan.  He 
spent  two  days  in  this  basin,  whose  glacier  was  one  of  the  smallest 
which  entered  the  Valley,  the  most  of  whose  ice  was  derived  from  a 
south-west  spur  of  the  Hoffman  group.  The  slope  of  its  bed  is  steep 
and  regular,  and  its  ice  must  have  moved  with  considerable  velocity ; 
exposed  to  the  southern  sun,  it  must  have  disappeared  among  the 
first,  leaving  a  comparatively  long  period  for  the  obliteration  of  the 
striated  surfaces  by  the  storms  and  the  various  disintegrating  agencies 
of  the  weather ;  as  in  the  Yosemite  basin,  the  unprotected  rock  is 
disintegrated  four  inches  deep,  and  no  ice  marks  could  we  expect  to 
find  except  upon  hard  quartz,  or  under  a  protecting  boulder. 
Though  he  has  not  yet  found  the  glacial  striae,  the  fact  of  its  exist 
ence  is  fully  proved  by  the  moraines,  and  meadows,  and  valley 
grooves,  characteristic  of  glacial  action  here ;  its  smooth  and  lake- 
like  basin  has  fine  forests  of  firs,  growing  upon  moraines  levelled  by 
overflowing  waters. 

Next  west  of  this,  on  the  north  side,  he  explored  the  Cascade  basin, 
and  in  it  he  soon  found  a  large  patch  of  the  old  glacier  bed,  polished 
and  striated,  with  the  direction  of  the  flow  clearly  indicated  as  south 
40  deg.  west.  At  the  head  of  the  Cascade  meadows  he  discovered 
a  well-defined  terminal  moraine,  and  the  ends  of  both  ridges  which 
formed  the  banks  of  the  ice  are  broken  and  precipitous,  indicating 
great  pressure.  Following  up  one  of  the  tributaries  some  miles,  he 
found,  throughout  the  entire  length,  many  polished  surfaces,  moraines, 


94  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    YO SEMITE    VALLEY, 

and  striae,  giving  as  clear  and  unmistakable  evidence  of  glacial  action 
as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  Alps. 

Still  farther  to  the  west  is  the  Tamarack  basin,  which  had  its  gla 
cier  opening  into  the  canon  of  the  Merced  below  the  Yosemite  Valley, 
and  still  others  for  more  than  twenty  miles  west  of  the  Valley  proper, 
which  he  intends  to  explore  hereafter. 

On  the  south  side  of  the  Valley  was  also  a  glacier  of  immense 
extent  and  thickness,  coming  down  from  the  Obelisk  or  Mt.  Clark 
group,  overtopping  Mt.  Starr  King,  the  main  stream  flowing  in  a 
westerly  and  northerly  direction  —  entering  the  Valley  of  the  Illilou- 
ette  or  South  Canon,  one  of  its  great  sheets  scoring  and  polishing  the 
Sentinel  Dome  and  Glacier  Point.  Farther  to  the  west,  on  the  south 
side,  was  also  the  Pohono  glacier,  in  the  basin  where  now  flows  the 
stream  of  that  name,  pouring  into  the  Valley  under  the  name  of  the 
"Bridal  Veil"  Fall,  nine  hundred  feet  in  height. 

"While  the  Sentinel  Rock  and  the  Cathedral  Rocks  on  the  south 
side  were  fashioned  by  glaciers,  so  the  Washington  Column,  North 
Dome,  and  the  Three  Brothers  mark  the  action  of  the  ice  stream  on 
the  north  side ;  the  depressions  between  these  peaks  being  so  many 
glacier  grooves  or  valleys,  modifications,  doubtless,  of  previously  ex 
isting  canons  or  gorges. 

Judging  from  what  has  already  been  discovered,  it  is  altogether 
probable  that  future  investigation  will  demonstrate  the  former  exist 
ence  of  an  immense  glacier  in  this  portion  of  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
larger  even  than  Mr.  Muir  supposes,  extending  quite  to  the  foot  hills 
of  the  range,  —  causing  by  its  gradual  decay  and  tremendous  force 
the  present  configuration  of  the  country,  with  its  streams,  fertile 
meadows,  and  forests,  —  covering  the  Mariposa  region,  and  carrying 
in  its  detritus  the  auriferous  sand,  so  profitably  worked  in  the  beds  of 
its  rivers  —  extending  over  the  present  valleys  of  the  Merced  and 
Tuolumne  rivers,  even  into  the  plains  of  the  San  Joaquiu  river  and 
the  Stockton  valley, 

Mr.  Muir's  researches  have,  I  think,  shown  that  all  of  the  higher 
basins  were  filled  with  ice,  with  a  sheet  so  deep  and  universal,  that 
only  a  few  of  the  highest  crests  of  the  Sierra  were  large  enough  to 
separate  it  into  individual  glaciers  —  many  of  the  highest  and  the 
great  domes  having  been  flowed  over  and  polished  and  rounded,  like 
the  boulders  in  a  river.  The  enormous  thickness  and  weight  of  this 
universal  glacier  will  explain  the  marks  of  pressure  above  alluded  to 
in  the  Cascade  glacier;  this,  with  the  glaciers  filling  the  valley,  was 
but  an  insignificant  fragment  of  the  great  whole.  Glaciers  poured 
into  the  valley  by  all  its  deeply  covered  canons,  and  the  great  de 
pression  of  the  valley,  we  now  behold  with  wonder  and  admiration, 
was  hardly  more  than  a  deep  rut  in  the  grand  pathway  of  this  mag 
nificent  ice  stream,  so  high  did  its  thickness  rise  above  the  walls  of 
the  valley.  All  the  rocks,  and  mountains,  and  domes,  and  mead 
ows  of  the  upper  Merced,  we  can  now  readily  believe,  received  their 
peculiar  forms  and  distribution  through  the  agency  of  ice,  and  not  of 
water ;  and  that  the  domes  and  canons  and  walls  of  the  great  valley 
itself  have  been  fashioned  by  the  same  ice-action — the  ice  stream 


AND   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


95 


finding  the  valley  previously  existing,  modifying,  but  not  producing 
it,  through  the  grand  combination  of  its  forces  acting  in  a  long-con 
tinued,  uniform  direction  upon  granite  of  the  peculiar  concentric 
structure  above  alluded  to. 

Among  the  most  characteristic  proofs  of  the  existence  of  former 
glaciers  here,  are  the  innumerable  lakes  and  meadows  of  the  Sierra. 
The  glacier  receives  boulders,  and  transports  sand  and  dust  from  its 
polishing  of  the  surrounding  rocks,  and  on  retreating  builds  up  a  ter 
minal  moraine,  which  forms  a  dam  for  the  waters  which  are  derived 
from  the  melting  ice,  at  the  same  time  by  its  irresistible  grinding 
hollowing  out  a  lake  basin  more  or  less  deep.  Gradually  retiring, 
and  finding  a  long  period  of  rest  under  protecting  rocks,  it  forms 
another  moraine  and  clam  like  the  first,  but  higher  up,  scooping  out 
another  basin  and  forming  another  lake.  If  the  glacier  then  formed 
disappears,  two  lakes  are  thus  formed,  one  above  the  other,  as  are 
frequently  found  ;  if  there  are  more  numerous  periods  of  rest,  there 
will  be  a  chain  of  lakes  in  proportion  to  this  number. 

At  first  pure,  and  filled  with  floating  ice,  in  course  of  time  the 
streams  from  the  higher  crests  and  the  melting  snows  carry  their 
detritus  to  these  rock-rimmed  lakes ;  then  the  lake  becomes  fringed 
with  a  border  of  yellowish  and  brown  sedges,  deriving  their  lowly 
sustenance  chiefly  from  their  water-absorbing  leaves ;  then,  as  the 
soil  increases  in  thickness,  come  other  rush-like  plants  and  mosses  in 
the  swampy  edges,  exactly  defining  the  limits  of  the  water;  then  the 
grasses,  and  the  flowers,  and  the  shrubs,  and  the  forests,  as  the 
meadow  becomes  more  solid  and  extended.  In  the  spring  of  the 
year,  these  high  meadows  are  flooded  with  water  from  the  ridges  on 
each  side,  and  are  at  all  times  to  be  traversed  cautiously  by  the  trav 
eller,  a  wandering  from  the  path  being  attended  with  the  danger  of 
sinking  inextricably  into  the  springy  and  treacherous  peat-like  bog. 

With  these  facts  before  us,  it  seems  to  me  evident  that  the  forma 
tion  of  the  Yosemite  Valley  is  not  due  to  water.  The  erosive  action 
of  water,  the  tremendous  power  of  which  the  Niagara  gorge  amply 
proves,  is  well  seen  in  the  Sierras,  but  not  remarkably  in  this  portion 
of  it;  its  action  does  not, produce  such  vertical  walls  as  those  of  this 
valley,  nor  such  perpendicular  surfaces  in  granite  as  the  sides  of  El 
Capitan,  more  than  three  thousand  feet  high,  meeting  each  other 
almost  at  a  right  angle,  and  with  faces  turned  down  the  valley  in  a 
direction  opposite  to  that  in  which  water  must  have  acted.  There  is  no 
source  for  water  of  depth  sufficient  to  have  filled  this  valley  ;  and  the 
Half-Dome  rises  two  thousand  feet  above  the  top  of  the  valley,  and 
the  same  above  the  action  of  water  had  it  filled  the  whole  valley  — 
this  is  five  miles  in  length,  one-half  to  a  mile  wide,  with  very  irreg 
ular  sides,  and  a  narrow  outlet  at  its  western  extremity. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  material  to  be  worn  by  water 
here  is  granite,  comparatively  indestructible  by  agents  which  might 
readily  wear  away  and  undermine  the  shales  aud  limestone  at  Niag 
ara.  The  granite  behind  the  Vernal  fall  is  hardly  at  all  worn  by 
water,  and  even  most  of  this  possible  erosion  may  be  more  reasonably 
attributed  to  ice.  The  insignificance  of  the  water  area  compared  to 


96  THE    WONDERS   OF  THE    ro SEMITE    VALLET, 

the  ice  area  iu  the  canons  here  has  been  shown  by  Mr.  Muir  in  the 
Nevada  glacier  basin,  and  the  fact  that  floods  have  never  risen,  and 
do  not  now  rise  high  enough  to  change  perceptibly  the  proportion  of 
these  areas.  Floods  now  arise  from  rains  and  melting  snows  in  all 
probability  as  great  as  ever  occurred  from  the  melting  of  the  glaciers, 
and  yet  their  action  upon  the  walls  of  the  canons  and  the  contour  of 
the  valley  is  not  perceptible.  Such  a  flood  occurred  in  the  latter  part 
of  December  of  last  year  1871,  as  witnessed  by  Mr.  Muir,  and  de 
scribed  in  a  letter  from  him,  in  which  he  writes  that  more  than  one 
hundred  cataracts  were  then  pouring  into  the  valley,  and  forty  in  sight 
at  one  time,  each  one  with  more  water  than  flows  over  the  Nevada  or 
Vernal  falls  in  midsummer.  We  cannot  believe,  therefore  that  any 
causes  now  in  action  there,  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  formation 
of  the  canons  and  the  valley. 

Has  ice,  then,  made  this  valley? 

After  Mr.  Muir's  observations,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  ice  once 
filled  this  valley,  and  overwhelmed  it  at  least  one  thousand  feet  deep, 
making  a  total  thickness,  supposing  the  valley  to  have  antedated  the 
glacial  period,  of  more  than  three  thousand  feet  of  ice.  From  the 
sketch  as  given  by  him,  it  will  be  seen  that,  while  the  upper  layers  of 
the  ice  stream  moved  with  irresistible  force  and  considerable  velocity, 
as  shown  by  the  polishings  aud  the  inclination  of  the  surfaces,  the 
comparatively  insignificant  portion  of  the  glacier  in  the  valley,  from 
the  narrowness  of  the  canon  of  exit  on  the  west,  could  not  have  moved 
much,  but  must  have  slowly  wasted  away,  remaining  long  after  the 
main  glacier  had  disappeared,  leaving  a  lake  of  gradually  decreasing 
depth,  and  at  last  a  wide  valley,  with  the  narrow  aud  shallow  Merced 
river  in  it,  fed  by  the  snows  of  the  upper  ridges. 

Was  the  valley  formed  by  ice?  The  Hetch-Hetchy  valley,  an 
almost  exact  counterpart  of  the  Yoscmite,  but  smaller,  and  about 
sixteen  miles  farther  north,  through  which  flows  the  Tuolumnc  river, 
as  the  Merced  flows  through  the  Yosemite,  throws  light  on  this  ques 
tion.  The  Tuoluuine  glacier,  the  largest  in  this  region,  flowed  across 
this  valley  and  across  a  canon  three  thousand  feet  deep,  on  its  way 
to  join  the  great  glacier  of  the  Merced  basin  below  Yosemite  ;  the 
course  of  the  former  across  the  latter  is  shown  by  the  grooving  of  the 
rocks,  and  yet  the  Hetch-Hetchy  valley  and  its  canon  above  show 
groovings  in  their  own  axis,  about  east  to  west,  the  great  glacier  mov 
ing  more  nearly  south-west.  The  united  Tuolumne  and  Merced 
glaciers,  below  Yosemite,  moved  very  nearly  west,  across  the  nu 
merous  angles  of  the  crooked  canon  of  the  Merced.  These  two  valleys 
and  their  ca  ous,  though  half  a  mile  deep,  and  each  with  their  local 
glaciers,  were  so  small  in  comparison  to  the  great  ice  sheet,  that  this 
flowed  over  them  without  being  influenced  by  them ;  the  form  of  the 
valleys  and  canon  was  doubtless  modified  by  the  ice,  which,  had  it 
produced  them,  would  have  greatly  multiplied  them,  and  have  made 
these  singular  depressions  the  rule,  and  not  the  exception  ;  and  more 
over  the  valleys  would  have  borne  in  size  a  closer  relation  and  pro 
portion  to  the  immense  force  that  was  at  work  over  them. 
There  seems  no  hypothesis  left  except  the  one  given  by  Prof.  Whitney, 


AND    OF  CALIFORNIA. 


97 


in  the  Geology  of  California,  a  hypothesis  which  his  and  all  subse 
quent  investigations  seem  to  me  to  strengthen,  viz.  :  that  durinjr  or 
after  the  upheaval  of  the  Sierra,  there  was  a  subsidence,  the  bottom 
of  these  valleys  sinking  down  to  an  unknown  depth,  the  debris  going 
to  fill  the  abyss.  During  the  glacial  period  they  were  filled  with  ice, 
which,  gradually  melting,  formed  great  lakes,  imprisoned  by  moraines 
at  the  lower  part ;  these  have  gradually  been  washed  away  by  the 
floods,  and  scattered  over  the  plains  of  the  Merced,  Tuolomne  and 
San  Joaquin  meadows ;  now  only  a  small  stream  flowing  along  the 
bottom,  which  is  slowly  filling  up,  the  small  and  comparatively  undis 
turbed  last  terminal  moraine  extending  across  the  valley  about  oppo 
site  El  Capitan,  the  force  of  the  diminished  flood  being  enough  to  cut 
a  passage  for  the  Merced  river  without  disturbing  the  glacial  deposits 
above  its  highest  level. 

Evidence  of  tremendous  volcanic  agency  is  not  wanting  in  this  re 
gion.  Some  of  the  high  peaks  are  found  capped  with  lava;  Mt. 
Dana,  perhaps  the  highest,  has  its  granite  nucleus  flanked  with  rneta- 
morphic  slates.  This  agency  is  even  now  active,  as  is  shown  by  the 
hot  springs  and  geysers  which  abound,  and  by  the  many  severe  shocks 
of  earthquakes  near  the  coast,  of  the  extent  and  severity  of  the  last  of 
which,  a  few  years  ago,  not  the  half  of  the  truth  has  ever  reached  the 
public.  On  page  88  will  be  found  a  description  of  the  earthquake  of 
1872. 

The  general  absence  of  debris  on  the  sides  —  the  splitting  of  the 
Half  Dome,  with  its  perpendicular  face  of  nearly  half  a  mile  above 
the  edge  of  the  valley  and  facing  it  —  such  immense  vertical  masses 
as  El  Capitan  —  can  hardly  be  explained  by  any  theory  except  that  of 
subsidence.  This  is  an  exceptional  theory,  perhaps,  but  the  phe 
nomena  are  also  exceptional. 


INDEX. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 

OMAHA  TO  SALT  LAKE        .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  13 

SALT  LAKE  AND  THE  CENTRAL  PACIFIC  RAILROAD      .         .         .         .  1!) 

YOSEMITK  VALLEY  —  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  ......  ~l(\ 

YOSEMITE  VALLEY  —  GENERAL  DESCRIPTION         .....  30 

YOSEMITE  VALLEY       ..........  35 

THE  CLIFFS  AND  FALLS     ......  41 

THE  BIG  TREES          ....                   ....  47 

INDIAN  TRIBES  ...........  52 

SAN  FRANCISCO  AND  VICINITY    .......  51 

MINERAL  SPRINGS  AND  GEYSERS         .                   .....  57 

HOMEWARD  BOUND     ..........  li 
ft  AN  FRANCISCO  TO  BOSTON         .         .         .         .         .         .         ,         .  05 

THE  YOSEMITE  IN  1872      .........  73 

WINTER  IN  THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY     .......  84 

RECENT  EARTHQUAKES        .........  88 

YOSEMITE  GLACIERS   .  80 


PHOTOGRAPHIC   VIEWS. 

THE  YOSEMITE  VALLEY. 

NORTH  DOME,  WASHINGTON  COLUMN,  AND  ROYAL  ARCHES. 

HALF  OR  SOUTH  DOMIC. 

EL  CAPITAN  FROM  THE  MERCED   RIVER. 

CLOUDS'  REST. 

BRIDAL  VEIL  FALLS. 

YOSEMITE  FALLS. 

VERNAL  FALLS  AND  CAP  OF  LIBERTY. 

NEVADA  FALL-. 

THE  SENTINKLS,  CALAVERAS  GROVE. 

GRIZZLY  GIANT. 

FORT  POINT  AND  GOLDEX  GATE. 

CATHEDRAL  SPIRES. 

ON  THE  MERCED  RIVER. 

DISTANT  VIEW  OF  THE  SIERRA  NEVADAS. 

FOOT  BRIDGE  LEADING  TO  NEVADA  FALLS. 

MIRROR  LAKE  AND  MT.   WATKINS. 

MINING  FOR  GOLD  AT  JACKSONVILLE. 

SENTINEL  ROCK. 

LITTLE  YOSKMITI:   V ALLEY. 

MAPS. 

YOSKMITI:  VALLEY       ..........         4 1 

RAIL  AND  STACK  ROUTES  73 


A 


